In a significant political move, leaders from the Nationalist Congress Party factions came together on Saturday to present a unified vision for Pune's civic future. Supriya Sule of the NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SCP) and Ajit Pawar of the NCP jointly addressed the media at the launch of their combined manifesto for the upcoming Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporation elections.
A Manifesto for Daily Life
The joint election document pledges to deliver tangible improvements directly impacting citizens' everyday experiences. The core promises are built around fundamental urban necessities. The manifesto commits to providing uninterrupted daily water supply to all residents, a perennial issue in many Indian cities.
It further vows to transform Pune's roads, aiming for a traffic-free and pothole-free Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) area. Other primary guarantees include ensuring regular cleanliness drives, establishing high-tech health facilities, and working towards a pollution-free PMC.
The leaders outlined three additional key tasks for the civic bodies: the comprehensive redevelopment of slums and old buildings, upholding a strong sense of responsibility towards Pune's citizens, and creating a 'Pune Model School' system to elevate educational standards.
Confidence for Mumbai's BMC Battle
Shifting focus to the country's richest civic body, Supriya Sule, speaking in Mumbai, expressed strong optimism about her party's chances in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. She stated that the "atmosphere is very good" and her party is prepared to contest with "full strength." Emphasizing the need for transparency and honesty in civic work, Sule confirmed the party's committed participation.
Backing this claim, the NCP-SCP had already released its candidate list for the BMC polls on December 29. The list features candidates for seven wards across Mumbai, including Ajit Ravarane for Ward 43, Sanjay Bhimrao Kamble for Ward 140 (SC), and Shraddha Javed Despande for Ward 78, among others.
Ajit Pawar's NCP to Contest Solo
In a parallel development, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction has decided to go it alone in the Mumbai fray. On Friday, the party announced its first list of 37 candidates for the BMC elections. This list includes notable names such as Manish Dubey for Ward 3, Cyril Peter D'Souza for Ward 48, and Ahmed Khan for Ward 62.
The extensive list also features candidates like Ayesha Shams Khan, Abdul Rashid (Captain) Malik, and Sabia Aslam Merchant, covering a wide range of wards in the city.
The stage is set for a major electoral exercise across Maharashtra. The State Election Commission has announced elections for 29 municipal corporations, including the BMC, Pune, and Pimpri-Chinchwad. In Mumbai, voters across 227 wards will cast their ballots on January 15, with the counting of votes scheduled for the following day, January 16.
