Political parties eye electorate as village merger to add PMC’s population by five lakh

Earlier on Wednesday, the Maharashtra government issued a notification, paving the way for merger of 23 areas surrounding the city into PMC limits.

Days before the 23 areas – referred in government records as villages – are to be officially merged into the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), politicians are divided over the decision. With civic polls slated for December 2021, each party is trying to take political mileage over the issue.

Residents of Uruli Devachi waiting for water supply. It is already included in PMC limits. (HT PHOTO)

Earlier on Wednesday, the Maharashtra government issued a notification, paving the way for merger of 23 areas surrounding the city into PMC limits. Post merger, PMC will have largest (518 sqkm) area under its jurisdiction with increased number of corporators and over five lakh population under its limits from these areas.

The latest move is also being seen with political motives as the 23 areas are under the control of the NCP and Congress, who want these parts to be under PMC as civic polls are lined up in December 2021. To prepare the party for polls, the city BJP chief Jagdish Mulik has started meeting residents from these areas. Currently, the BJP controls the 165-member PMC house with 98 corporators.

Central parts of the city are dominated by the BJP, while outskirt areas are under the control of the NCP and Congress

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit president Chandrakant Patil accuses the Maha Vikas Agadhi government for taking the merger decision with political motives.

“When we were ruling in the state, we decided to merge the villages step by step and provide adequate infrastructure. This government has not mentioned anything for giving financial help for creating infrastructure in these villages,” said Patil

According to Patil, PMC is already facing a financial crisis due to Covid-19.

Mulik said, “The Maha Vikas Aghadi and mainly the NCP is believing that by merging these 23 villages, they would be able to get power in PMC. The NCP and Congress would not get support in these villages. Right now both the parties have power in these villages, but they are unable to carry any development work. Though it is a political decision, BJP would remain with the citizens of the 23 villages and get their support.”

NCP city unit president Chetan Tupe said, “As per the high court’s order, the BJP merged the 11 villages in 2017. Then the state government promised to merge remaining 23 villages in next three years. The state government just followed the previous decision and merged the remaining 23 villages in PMC.”

Congress leader Aba Bagul also accused the BJP for playing politics. “The BJP in PMC has already approved the new water scheme for these villages and has appointed a consultant at the cost of Rs13 crore. Why they are doing such planning even before the state government offered its nod. It means they too are supporting this decision but doing politics over it.”