Pune: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar launched a scathing attack on his former supporters turned BJP MLAs Laxman Jagtap and Mahesh Landge in Pimpri-Chinchwad at a review meeting of NCP held in Bhosari on Wednesday.
Addressing party workers, Pawar attacked both Jagtap and Landge. He claimed, “Dada and Bhau duo have developed a culture of siphoning off funds from the PCMC. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is interested only in Nagpur, while Guardian Minister (Bapat) is more interested in Pune. Hence, there is no one left in Pimpri-Chinchwad to question the wrongdoings of the ruling party MLAs.”
Pawar said, “(Sharad) Pawar Saheb used to question me when I made mistakes. When NCP was in power, I did not tolerate wrongdoings. But now, in the BJP regime, these MLAs are working arbitrarily. They are siphoning off money even from the contracts for garbage collection. They have created their own territory in the city.” About the government’s decision to exempt unauthorised constructions to an area of 1,000 square feet, Pawar said, “We are yet to get details of the decision. If a good decision has been made and if citizens are happy with the decision, then we will welcome the move.”
Taking a dig at Bhosari MLA Mahesh Landge without naming him, Pawar said, “What we are witnessing is that even before the decision of lifting of the ban on bullock cart races is announced there is a rush to claim credit for the decision.” He said that bullock cart racing hoardings were put up several times but the cart races are still banned.
As the general election is approaching Ajit Pawar is camping in the city for strengthening the party network.
Before 2017 civic polls, NCP was in power in PCMC and the city was considered a stronghold of the party. Since NCP lost PCMC to BJP during last civic election, it is looking for an opportunity to regain lost ground.
