Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday, January 9, expressed concerns over what he called a steady erosion of ideological commitment in politics, alleging that most political parties have abandoned their ideologies and are resorting to different tactics to expand their ranks.
In an exclusive interview with PTI, Pawar said party-hopping has become rampant, with leaders being lured or coerced into switching sides, as he continued his attack on the local BJP leadership in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
“Lately, political parties have almost abandoned their respective ideologies. Leaders are going anywhere and doing whatever they feel,” Pawar said.
He alleged that some leaders are being poached through inducements, while others are pressured by highlighting pending inquiries against them and assuring that probe agencies would be managed after a switch.
Money and muscle power are being openly used in the political arena, said Pawar, who also heads the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
“Those who have money and muscle power are using it. Those who feel that votes can be sought by raking up caste issues are adopting that tactic,” Pawar said, responding to a question on frequent defections by party leaders and workers.
Pawar also said that a candidate is being assessed on perceived electoral merit, not on what he has delivered as a leader. He said a new trend has emerged where surveys are used to gauge candidates’ popularity.
“Surveys are being used to check who is the most popular candidate in a particular area. If that person belongs to the opposite party, efforts are made to poach him or her,” he said ahead of the upcoming civic polls.
Hailing the politics of Maharashtra’s first CM, Yashwantrao Chavan, Pawar said, “He used to pay equal respect to opposition party leaders as well. He used to distribute funds without thinking whether the person was from the opposition. However, over the years, some sort of vendetta politics has crept in. This should not happen.”
Continuing his criticism of the local leadership of the BJP in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pawar alleged that their “lack of vision” had pushed the two civic bodies into “crisis”, despite massive spending over the last eight to nine years.
Though partners in the ruling Mahayuti coalition in the state, the BJP and NCP are contesting the civic polls in the two cities independently. The BJP has been urging Pawar to refrain from targeting allies while campaigning.
Pawar claimed that the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) witnessed planned development between 1992 and 2017 when the NCP was in power, but corruption and financial mismanagement marked the BJP’s tenure from 2017 to 2022.
“From 1992 till 2017, Pimpri-Chinchwad was developed with minute planning. The corporation became the richest civic body in Asia due to sound financial management and able leadership. There was no need to take loans or issue bonds during our tenure,” Pawar claimed.
He alleged that bonds were raised during the last BJP-led term and claimed irregularities in the Smart City project and works concerning cleanliness drives and waste management.
“In the last eight to nine years, around Rs 60,000 crore was spent. Administrative expenses that account for nearly 30-35 per cent translate to about Rs 20,000 crore. Development works worth Rs 40,000 crore were supposed to take place, but that work is not visible on the ground,” Pawar said.
He said roads remain in poor condition, while drinking water has become a major issue in Pune civic body and PCMC. “During our tenure, water was brought from the Pavana dam to the industrial township (Pimpri-Chinchwad). Unfortunately, the local leadership lacked the vision to plan for the growing industrial town, and today PCMC is facing multiple problems,” he said.
In waste management departments, the number of employees shown on paper does not match the actual workforce, he claimed. “Over 12,300 employees are listed, but more than 50 per cent are not working on the ground,” he said, adding that “tanker mafias” are operating freely in Pune and PCMC.
Targeting the BJP’s earlier tenure in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pawar alleged corruption in projects such as CCTV installation. “Nearly 70 per cent of CCTV cameras are not functioning. The work that should have happened has not happened,” he said.
Responding to criticism that he has been attacking the BJP despite sharing power with it at the Centre and in Maharashtra, Pawar said local body elections are fought on civic issues.
“National and state elections are different. Voters know whom to entrust with the country and the state. Civic elections are about local problems, and we are raising issues faced by citizens in Pune and PCMC,” he said.
On the NCP-NCP(SP) alliance in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pawar said it was not premeditated. “Local party workers felt that contesting together would be beneficial. That is how the alliance was formed,” he said.
Dismissing speculation about a merger of the two NCP factions, Pawar said such discussions existed only in the media. “Right now, we are focused only on winning maximum seats,” he added.
Elections to 29 municipal corporations, including Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic bodies, across the state are scheduled for January 15. Votes will be counted the next day.
