Will the newcomers make a difference to Pune governance?

The results of the recently held civic polls has raised doubts in the minds of citizens regarding the quality of candidates elected. While some feel that new governance won’t benefit the city, others are banking on freshers and women candidates to bring a change.

The big question is whether women candidates will take decisions or will be influenced
In any election, new candidates are bound to be elected. Most of the women have made it due to the reservation. The big question is whether these women candidates will take their own decisions or will be influenced by their male patrons. All the political parties have their own training programmes so these new corporators will have no problem in getting acquainted with the civic administration. With over 50% of citizens casting their votes in this civic election, there will be a pressure on the new candidates to deliver results.
—Gautam Idnani, member, Resident Forum, Boat Club area

We are unhappy with lackadaisical attitude shown towards Baner
Dnyneshwar Tapkir from Congress was the first corporator who represented Baner. He was elected after a landslide victory in 2002 election solely because of his clean image. He did a lot of development work for Baner area. But unfortunately, due to party politics, he did not get a ticket this time.
Since the last two elections, NCP has ruled Baner due to which the development work of the area has suffered. Baner residents want Tapkir back in action. Our forum consists of people belonging to different backgrounds and we are not happy with the lackadaisical attitude shown towards Baner.
The entry of freshers in the civic governance is a good sign, but their promises during the campaign were very ambiguous. They can be only judged on the basis of how they will perform in the coming years.       
—Lt Col (retd) Ashok Thombre, president, Baner Citizen Forum

I voted because I expect to see some changes in the set-up
We want corporators to be cooperative with people whom they represent. They must be responsive and try to find out what people really want. Even though we have Mohalla Committees (MC), which act as the eyes and ears of PMC, the civic authority’s unwillingness to follow-up on the complaints of MC is deterrent to any progressive step. If the PMC does not act, then citizens can do nothing about it. I voted because I expect to see some changes in the governance. There were reservation for women candidates in the last elections also, but I doubt it made any difference as they were largely controlled by their husbands in the background. We want independent women who can take their own decisions  and run the city efficiently.
—Vinay Kirpal, Member, Lullanagar (North) Mohalla Committee

I am happy to see new faces being part of the civic body
We are surely expecting some changes in the civic governance with so many freshers and women candidates being elected this time. However, the candidates who got elected from our area are the same ones who got previously elected. I am not at all happy with the development work in our area because we still face many problems and these issues are lying unresolved for many years. The candidates in their pre-poll campaigns make many promises, but they hardly fulfill them. I would request the newcomers to build a rapport with the citizens in their respective areas and be available to hear their woes. I am happy to see new faces being part of the governance. I feel that women candidates are more honest than their counterparts, as long as they are not controlled by their husbands. 
—Saryu Sanghvi, active member, Aundh Vikas Mandal

The only good outcome of civic poll is the emergence of MNS
With the Congress-NCP coming to power and set to rule the Pune Municipal Corporation, we don’t expect any major changes in the governance. Whatever problems we had before in terms of lack of infrastructure and incomplete projects related to the same, will continue for another five years. The only good outcome of the civic poll is that new MNS candidates will be part of the PMC governance.
With firebrand leader like Raj Thackeray leading the MNS candidates and high public expectations and pressure, these candidates have to perform and deliver results. I am sure that these candidates will also bring a change in the PMC governance by sitting in the opposition.
The newcomers will get training regarding budgets and civic administration works. These candidates very well know what people in their ward want, they just have to learn how to place their questions in front of the general body meetings. Also, the guidance of the senior party workers will help the newcomers. I feel that with 50% of women candidates being elected this time, they will perform as long as they are dictated by their husbands.
—Ramesh Phondge, RTI activist & former PRO, PMC