No BJP representation on PMRDA planing committee irks party leaders

PUNE The Maha Vikas Agadi (MVA) has kept the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) away from the planning committee of the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA)

PUNE The Maha Vikas Agadi (MVA) has kept the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) away from the planning committee of the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA).

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Instead of appointing any elected BJP member, MVA appointed MP Sanjay Raut and former minister Tanaji Sawant, who are not from Pune, to the committee.

Pune MP Girish Bapat, Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol, PCMC Mayor and other BJP MLAs are not on the committee and the BJP alleged the MVA is playing politics.

BJP city unit president Jagdish Mulik said, “Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is doing party politics. MP Sanjay Raut and Sena leader Tanaji Sawant do not have any relation with Pune. CM appointed them on the PMRDA planning committee.”

An official BJP statement said, “BJP is ruling in both Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporations. Ideally, the mayors or standing committee chairmen should be nominated members. The ruling party avoided MP Girish Bapat and other BJP MLAs on it.”

The planning committee consists of 30 members. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was not possible to hold elections. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is the PMRDA committee president.

The Maharashtra government appointed MP Supriya Sule, MP Sanjay Raut, MP Shrirang Barne, MLA Tanaji Sawant, Sangram Thopate, Sunil Shelke and Sanjay Jagtap. Rest of the committee members all are government officers.