Buoyed by its victory in the recently concluded Kasba peth assembly bypoll, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has now set its sights on the Pune Cantonment Board where local body polls are scheduled to take place on April 30.
Former Congress member of legislative council (MLC) Mohan Joshi, who has kept a close watch on the changing fortunes of the Congress party, said, “The Kasba bypoll win has bolstered the Congress party workers who are now confident that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can be defeated. Also, the strong coordination between all MVA partners will ensure that vote consolidation takes place for the Congress. The cantonment has always been a supporter of the Congress party and the time is ripe for winning back lost power. We have a sizeable chunk of voters, grassroot party workers, and the right environment in our favour.”
From 2017 to 2022, the PCB was under BJP control with five out of eight corporators belonging to the party, two from the Congress, and one independent. The cantonment area which spans the cantonment assembly seat was held by Congress veteran Balasaheb Shivarkar and later by Congress member of legislative assembly (MLA) Ramesh Bagwe.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) city unit president Prashant Jagtap emphasised on close coordination between all MVA partners in the fight against the BJP. “The BJP model of governance in cantonment has been a failure and cantonment residents are suffering due to the miserable performance and attitude of the BJP as a party. Our mission would be to stop the party from gaining power once again and it will be shown defeat in the forthcoming cantonment assembly polls where the Kasba win will be replicated,” Jagtap said.
{{/usCountry}}Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) city unit president Prashant Jagtap emphasised on close coordination between all MVA partners in the fight against the BJP. “The BJP model of governance in cantonment has been a failure and cantonment residents are suffering due to the miserable performance and attitude of the BJP as a party. Our mission would be to stop the party from gaining power once again and it will be shown defeat in the forthcoming cantonment assembly polls where the Kasba win will be replicated,” Jagtap said.
{{/usCountry}}In 2014, the BJP’s Dalit leader Dilip Kamble had defeated sitting cantonment MLA Ramesh Bagwe from the Congress. His brother Sunil Kamble had then retained the seat for the BJP for a second consecutive term.
Former PCB vice-president (VP) and Congress leader Vinod Mathurawala said that cantonment had been a Congress bastion prior to 2014 when the party lost it to the BJP. “Since then, the Congress suffered a number of setbacks but due to our strong presence on ground, we have managed to face the continuous onslaught of the BJP. The party, despite being in power in the state and at the centre, has been unable to solve the long pending issue of over Rs600 crores in GST dues. Its elected representatives have failed miserably in giving voice to the citizens’ problems. Right from the Fashion Street fire to the complete burning down of Chhatrapati Shivaji Market in a blaze, elected members belonging to the BJP have proved to be utter failures,” Mathurawala said.
Apart from the Pune Cantonment, elections have also been announced in the Khadki Cantonment. The two cantonments are part of the 57 boards that will go to polls as per the ministry of defence’s official notification. However, the Dehu Road Cantonment Board does not find mention in the official notification.
Meanwhile, the last date and time for withdrawal of candidature without forfeiture of the security deposit has been fixed till 4 pm on March 24. The polls will be held between 7 am and 6 pm on March 30, and counting and declaration of results will take place either on the same day from 10 pm or the next day from 8 am as per the decision of the returning officer.
Claiming that elected representatives from the BJP have failed to address the residents’ woes, Mathurawala said, “When it came to raising voice against the vehicle entry tax (VET), the BJP members remained mum and did not show any interest. Congress today is better positioned as it has constantly given voice to the people’s problems. The Congress will win the cantonment polls, helping us regain this stronghold.”