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My India my vote: Pune’s poll party kicks off
On Saturday, the BJP will sound its bugle in the city. Congress will hold forth in Bhavani peth on Friday evening. Party workers from every corner of the district are headed to Pune. Lines are being drawn and alliances redrawn. Get ready...
Election year 2019: Lok Sabha polls. Public rallies in Pune have begun, with some gusto.
All parties - Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will by the end of the week, have held major political rallies in the city.
Police, flex signboard firms and the public address sound systems are all on high alert in Pune ahead of the poll frenzy about to descend.
Deputy Commissioner of police (DCP) ( Special Branch ) Ashok Morale said that all necessary security measures have been undertaken. “Our department is doing its level best to maintain law and order in the city. Adequate police security will be provided,” DCP Morale said.
Prakash More, owner of Digital Flex, said that as all political parties have events going on in the background during, and before the Lok Sabha elections, it is a busy time for digital board companies. “Whenever any senior leader at the state and national level visit the city, we get an order. This will only increase in the election period,” More said.
Dalit and minority vote bank ensuring slow burn will boil
The grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and agitator for a huge memorial for Dr Ambedkar at Indu Mills premises, Anandraj Ambedkar is confident that the ‘Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi’ of Prakash Ambedkar and Asaduddin Owaisi, will do very well in the coming Lok Sabha elections.
The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi includes AIMIM of Asaduddin Owaisi, Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh of Prakash Ambedkar and other smaller non-BJP and nonCongress-NCP parties that will contest against the CongressNCP alliance and the BJP-Sena in the ensuing elections.
The aghadi held their first Pune rally last year, November 26, and are now due a major rally in the city.
Party members in the know, preferring to remain anonymous at this point, claim the next Pune rally will be in March.
MLA Imtiaz Jaleel said that Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi has received a very good response from the people of Pune. “We are awaiting the outcome of the meeting between Prakash Ambedkar and Rahul Gandhi. Once that is then, we can go ahead with a grand rally before the polls.”
NCP stay first-movers in the district
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has already held two public rallies in the city, the last of which was held on Sunday, February 3. NCP leaders Ajit Pawar and state unit president Jayant Patil addressed both the rallies at Warje Malwadi and Hadapsar.
NCP leader Chetan Tupe said, “NCP and Congress are in an alliance in the state and talks are in the final stages. NCP is the only party in the state who have completed three rounds of the whole state and party leaders have visited each taluka of the state in last two years.” NCP’s rally cry: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Farmers’ distress in the state and how the BJP has failed to address rural issues.
BJP at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) national president, Amit Shah, will address party workers on Saturday (February 9) at the Ganesh Kala Krida rang manch, Swargate. BJP workers from Pune, Shirur and Baramati will be in the city for the event. “Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state unit head Raosaheb Danve will also be present,” says city unit president Yogesh Gogawale.
Congress at Bhavani peth
The Congress party’s public rally will take place Friday evening (February 8) at Bhavani peth. “Congress party’s state unit head Ashok Chavan and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan will address the public rally,” says city unit president Ramesh Bagwe, adding that the Congress public rallies will aim to expose the BJP government in the state.
