2 days ago
Parties prepare for PCMC poll amid differing views on ward system
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Pune: Political parties in Pimpri Chinchwad began preparations for the civic poll a day after state govt announced a four-member ward system for the election.
City units of political parties held meetings with their workers, with BJP expressing confidence in winning the poll under the new ward system.
Opposition parties, however, criticized govt for changing the three-member ward system, for which a draft was announced during MVA govt in 2022, for advantage.
BJP's Pimpri Chinchwad unit president Shatrughna Kate said, "We had 77 elected corporators in 2017. Five independent corporators also sided with us, taking the total to 82. Considering this number, we are confident of winning the civic poll even without an alliance.
The party has strong local leaders in each ward and the four-member system will benefit us."
He said though party workers wanted to contest solo, the final decision would be taken by the state leadership.
A senior official from PCMC's election department told TOI that there would be no changes in the total number of wards and elected members. The civic body will have 128 corporators from 32 wards, the official said.
Tushar Kamthe, the city president of NCP (SP), said, "The announcement of four-member ward system shows that BJP is not confident.
Else, they would have stuck to the three-member ward announced during MVA govt."
Kamthe said party chief Sharad Pawar was personally monitoring preparations in Pimpri Chinchwad and would hold a meeting with the workers on June 17. "The party will give opportunity to new faces. We are prepared to contest solo or in alliance," he said.
Experts said the four-member ward system was likely to cause seat-sharing issues if MVA or Mahayuti decided to contest in alliance.
Sanjog Waghere, the city chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), said there should have been a three or two-member ward system for the benefit of residents. "There are many citizens' issues that have remained unaddressed over the last few years, including when BJP was in office at PCMC. And the situation remained unchanged due to the four-member ward system," he said.
Waghere said they already held a meeting with party workers for Bhosari constituency and more meetings were scheduled for Pimpri and Chinchwad constituencies on June 15.
Pune: Political parties in Pimpri Chinchwad began preparations for the civic poll a day after state govt announced a four-member ward system for the election.
City units of political parties held meetings with their workers, with BJP expressing confidence in winning the poll under the new ward system. Opposition parties, however, criticized govt for changing the three-member ward system, for which a draft was announced during MVA govt in 2022, for advantage.
BJP's Pimpri Chinchwad unit president Shatrughna Kate said, "We had 77 elected corporators in 2017. Five independent corporators also sided with us, taking the total to 82. Considering this number, we are confident of winning the civic poll even without an alliance. The party has strong local leaders in each ward and the four-member system will benefit us."
He said though party workers wanted to contest solo, the final decision would be taken by the state leadership.
A senior official from PCMC's election department told TOI that there would be no changes in the total number of wards and elected members. The civic body will have 128 corporators from 32 wards, the official said.
Tushar Kamthe, the city president of NCP (SP), said, "The announcement of four-member ward system shows that BJP is not confident. Else, they would have stuck to the three-member ward announced during MVA govt."
Kamthe said party chief Sharad Pawar was personally monitoring preparations in Pimpri Chinchwad and would hold a meeting with the workers on June 17. "The party will give opportunity to new faces. We are prepared to contest solo or in alliance," he said.
Experts said the four-member ward system was likely to cause seat-sharing issues if MVA or Mahayuti decided to contest in alliance.
Sanjog Waghere, the city chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), said there should have been a three or two-member ward system for the benefit of residents. "There are many citizens' issues that have remained unaddressed over the last few years, including when BJP was in office at PCMC. And the situation remained unchanged due to the four-member ward system," he said.
Waghere said they already held a meeting with party workers for Bhosari constituency and more meetings were scheduled for Pimpri and Chinchwad constituencies on June 15.
