Kishore Patkar kicks off NCP exodus

Barely two days after the buzz began about the Naiks and their followers migrating to BJP, the process has begun. Kishore Patkar, the NCP corporator from Vashi, tendered his resignation from the party post as the Executive President for Vashi, blaming the party for letting him - and the people of Navi Mumbai - down, which eventually resulted in electoral losses.

In his resignation letter, Patkar squarely blamed NCP for failing to fulfill the promises made to the people. Taking a shot at NCP man and erstwhile CIDCO chairman Pramod Hindurao, Patkar alleged that Hindurao went out of his way to stall any effort to rehabilitate the thousands of people staying in dangerous CIDCO buildings. "Had the promise of relocating the residents of the dangerous buildings been fulfilled, even Ganesh Naik would have won the assembly elections comfortably," said Patkar, adding that he has no faith in the party and no plans to contest the upcoming civic elections on the party's ticket.

Patkar's resignation from NCP is being seen as the first of the departures from the party, before the flood of resignations by other corporators and office bearers begins in a day or two, eventually paving the way for party supremo in Navi Mumbai, Ganesh Naik, to 'accede' to the demands of his followers and herd the flock to BJP.