Waterlogging sparks blame game between BJP, NCP

Waterlogging in the city due to intense rain since Monday evening has sparked a blame game between the BJP and the NCP

PUNE: Waterlogging in the city due to intense rain since Monday evening has sparked a blame game between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), with both parties pointing fingers at each other.

Waterlogging in the city due to intense rain since Monday evening has sparked a blame game between the BJP and the NCP. (RAHUL RAUT/HT)

While the BJP city unit is blaming the NCP and Congress for allowing the diversion of nullahs at 32 locations which in turn is leading to increased flooding in the city, the NCP is alleging that despite having the opportunity to rectify things by virtue of being in power for the past five years, the BJP is playing politics and blaming the former regime.

BJP city unit president Jagdish Mulik on Tuesday met municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar on the backdrop of waterlogging in the city. “The nullahs meet the Mula-Mutha river at 58 locations. However, during the tenure of the Congress and NCP, they allowed diversion of the nullahs at 32 locations. With the nullahs diverted, the city is increasingly getting flooded,” Mulik said.

“After the state government appointed the municipal commissioner as an administrator, we asked the administration to clean the nullahs. But as the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was in power in the state, they intentionally asked not to clean the nullahs. It shows that the NCP and Congress are responsible for flooding,” Mulik said.

While NCP city unit president Prashant Jagtap said, “The BJP has been in power. But they have neglected the nullah-cleaning works. They have not taken care of road and stormwater lines either and ultimately, citizens are suffering.”

The NCP questioned why the BJP is blaming other parties instead of accepting responsibility despite being in power for the last five years.