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NCP launches ‘Alarm’ campaign for PMC, PCMC; targets BJP local leadership over civic failures
Pawar likened persistent civic problems such as water shortages, garbage pileups, traffic congestion and rising pollution levels to ‘alarm bells’ pointing to the imminent administrative collapse at the municipal level
Deputy chief minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar Wednesday launched the party’s ‘Alarm’ campaign for the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) elections, stepping up the attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) local leadership over what the NCP described as mismanagement and failure to deliver basic civic services in the twin city.
Pawar likened persistent civic problems such as water shortages, garbage pileups, traffic congestion and rising pollution levels to ‘alarm bells’ pointing to the imminent administrative collapse at the municipal level.
In recent weeks, Pawar has alleged corruption and mismanagement on the part of BJP-led civic administrations; drawing sharp reactions from the BJP senior leadership. Responding to Pawar’s earlier allegations, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and BJP state president Ravindra Chavan criticised the NCP leader, asking him to ‘look into the mirror’ and introspect, given his party’s past role in civic governance. Pawar’s remarks on Wednesday came despite the pushback from the BJP’s top state leadership.
However, Pawar was quick to clarify at the launch of the campaign that the initiative is limited to the PMC and PCMC and has no connection with the state or central governments where the NCP shares power with the BJP. “I want to make it clear at the outset that this campaign concerns only the failures of the municipal corporations in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad where the BJP was in power from 2017 to 2022,” he said at the campaign launch, adding that it should not be seen as a criticism of the alliance governments.
About the ‘Alarm’ campaign, Pawar said it is based on ground surveys conducted over the past six months, and complaints received directly through his ‘Jansamvad’ outreach. “Dry taps, tanker queues, pothole-ridden roads, garbage mounds and worsening air quality point to an execution crisis in the civic bodies. The alarm is ringing and the cities need to wake up,” he said.
Without directly naming the BJP, Pawar said that the ruling party’s local leadership is responsible for what he called the steady deterioration of civic infrastructure in the PMC and PCMC, despite being in control of the corporations for several years. He alleged that development has stalled due to poor planning, lack of accountability, and corruption.
The ‘Alarm’ campaign will be rolled out as a digital-first and ground-based initiative, with NCP candidates releasing short videos from problem spots such as potholes, garbage dumping sites, and traffic jams to highlight civic failures.
The campaign is structured around the theme, ‘One Alarm, Five Works’ focusing on 24x7 clean water supply, pothole-free roads and smoother traffic movement, timely garbage collection and sanitation, development of public spaces along with pollution control, and access to healthcare facilities in every ward.
Pawar said that the NCP’s governance approach, rooted in the Shiv-Shahu-Phule-Ambedkar ideology, prioritised execution over political rhetoric. “When the NCP led the civic bodies, development was planned and delivered. Efficient governance is the highest form of public service,” he said.
The NCP also sought to draw a clear distinction between its participation in the state government and the functioning of municipal corporations, asserting that the PMC and PCMC need what it described as the ‘Ajit Pawar model’ of discipline and delivery to address mounting civic challenges.
