The fractured mandate in Pune has forced various political parties to rethink their strategies. The Congress leaders have translated the poor show of the party as a categorical refusal of individual-driven politics (read dominance of the tainted city MP Suresh Kalmadi over city politics over the last two decades). The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena workers have also started talking about strengthening the executive bodies of their parties in the city.
Other than the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and the ‘dark horse’ Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), none of the parties have improved their strength in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) exposing infighting as the main reason for dismal show.
The Congress, that ruled over the city for almost four decades before the NCP walked into the Pune pattern five years ago, suffered the major blow after been relegated as the second largest party in the PMC and support the NCP.
The party’s debacle has given the much-need impetus to Kalmadi detractors to make efforts to oust city MP’s supporters from high positions in the party. Their prime target is city unit president Abhay Chhajed.
A senior Congress leader said that several leaders are eyeing this post claiming that “I have the mass base and will work in coordination with all so that the party regains its hold in the upcoming assembly and Lok Sabha elections”.
Among those whose names are being discussed are MLC Mohan Joshi, former minister Balasaheb Shivarkar, MLC Sharad Ranpise, MLC Ulhas Pawar, MLA Ramesh Bagwe and MLA Vinayak Nimhan.
Sources in the party say that these leaders are jointly demanding Kalmadi’s ouster and voicing feelings that the party needs a leader having a strong hold over the city. Leadership of ministers Patangrao Kadam or Harshavardhan Patil would not work in Pune as they are considered ‘outsiders’.
On the BJP front, the defeat of several party candidates and the MNS making inroads in the party domains have widened the rift between the party president Nitin Gadkari and Gopinath Munde factions of the party’s city unit. The Munde faction, which had remained docile after the party’s victory in Khadakawsla assembly by-polls, has now began voicing the demand for strengthening the executive body of the party’s city unit.
Of the 26 corporators from BJP elected to the PMC, majority are from the Munde faction. Sources in the party said that the Munde faction, buoyed by its better performance, would be calling for a meeting of the party soon and demand their induction in the executive body of the party.
In the Sena, trouble is brewing against MLC Neelam Gorhe too. Some of the sainiks have already been complaining against her style of functioning. However, their voices are still feeble.
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