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Those questioning Pune’s development should ‘look into mirror’: Fadnavis takes jibe at Ajit Pawar
CM Fadnavis defends Pune's development, urging critics to reflect, while highlighting BJP's infrastructure projects worth ₹80,000 crore and future plans.
Hitting back at criticism over Pune’s development, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said those questioning what the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has done for the city should first “look in the mirror”, in a clear swipe at deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.
Addressing a public rally in Katraj during campaigning for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections scheduled on January 15, Fadnavis said, “The BJP had laid out a long-term development blueprint for Pune and that the city was on course to emerge as one of the country’s leading urban centres.”
Fadnavis said the BJP had governed the Pune civic body for only five years, yet several large infrastructure projects were initiated during the period. Referring to recent announcements, he said development works worth ₹3,000 crore were inaugurated in the city in the past few days, while projects valued at nearly ₹80,000 crore are currently under execution or are being planned. “Despite this, if questions are raised about what has been done for Pune, those asking them should first introspect,” he said, without naming anyone.
Ajit Pawar had on Sunday said Pune received substantial financial assistance from the Centre and the state government, but claimed the local leadership failed to convert the funds into visible development.
Without directly mentioning Pawar, Fadnavis said the BJP does not believe in political confrontation but is capable of responding firmly when required. He said the party had taken decisive steps after coming to power in the PMC in 2017, launching projects such as the Metro, reforms in water supply, rejuvenation of the Mula and Mutha rivers, the riverfront development project and initiatives aimed at improving traffic movement and mobility.
The chief minister said infrastructure projects worth nearly ₹44,000 crore have been planned for Pune in the coming years. Among them is a proposed underground road tunnel network spanning about 54 km across the city to address traffic congestion. He said ₹32,000 crore would be allocated for the project, with the first tunnel planned from Katraj.
Union minister of state Murlidhar Mohol said the BJP’s tenure in the PMC had brought visible changes to Pune. “Voters had repeatedly reposed their trust in the party,” he said. With Pune expected to expand further, Mohol questioned whether Ajit Pawar, who had earlier served as guardian minister of Pune district, had shown similar foresight while overseeing the city’s development. He asserted that Pune would once again have a BJP mayor.
State minister Chandrakant Patil also criticised Pawar, pointing out that his party had controlled the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations for several years. Patil said it was only after the BJP secured a clear majority and governed the civic bodies for five consecutive years that large-scale development projects gained momentum.
“Ajit Pawar was the guardian minister of Pune district for many years. People are now questioning why comparable development was not seen during that period,” Patil said.
