Pune civic polls: Candidates arrange picnics to reach out to voters

Many candidates have started the same practice and are arranging outings for voters to pilgrimage centres in Maharashtra, mainly Akkalkot, Shirdi, Pandharpur and Ashtavinayaka are popular

PUNE As the municipal election is around the corner, many candidates in the city are organising picnics for voters.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will have a total of 55 wards with each having three members for the municipal election scheduled in 2022. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

Congress leader Aba Bagul, a few years ago, started the trend to take voters, mainly senior citizens, for Kashi yatra. He is following the practise every year, which has become popular among voters.

Many candidates have started the same practice and are arranging outings for voters to pilgrimage centres in Maharashtra, mainly Akkalkot, Shirdi, Pandharpur and Ashtavinayaka are popular.

One of the candidates from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on condition of anonymity, said, “I have organised ten buses for Akkalkot and Astavinayak tour.”

“As Covid-19 cases have dropped, citizens are coming for picnics. Mainly these outings are organised for lower-income groups. It helps to interact with voters and get maximum contacts through them,” he said.

Another Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) member said on anonymity, “I have planned to install CCTVs from my own money in housing society premises by approaching some members. This will help me to know the voters there. They will even tell other housing society members which will help me with word-of-mouth publicity .”