In a sharp political retort, Bharatiya Janata Party's Maharashtra unit president Ravindra Chavan on Saturday cautioned Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar to "look within" before levelling allegations of corruption against the BJP. The exchange comes amidst campaigning for the crucial civic elections in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.
War of Words Ahead of Civic Polls
Chavan issued this warning in Pune after kickstarting the BJP's campaign for the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) polls. This political sparring is notable as the NCP is in an alliance with the BJP both at the Centre and in the Maharashtra state government, yet the two parties are contesting against each other in these local body elections.
The BJP leader was reacting to allegations made by Ajit Pawar on Friday. The NCP chief had stated that the PCMC, once considered India's richest civic body, was now under a significant debt burden. He alleged that corruption was rampant in the PCMC during the period from 2017 to 2022, when it was governed by the BJP.
Chavan's Strong Counter and Warning
"Ajit Pawar made those allegations against the backdrop of the civic polls. Before making such allegations, he should look within himself," Chavan told reporters. He added a pointed caution, stating, "He should be careful while making such statements and understand that if we start speaking (against him), it will create a lot of problems for him."
Chavan questioned the NCP leader's stance, asking if he was speaking against the party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the state. He suggested that if Pawar had genuine concerns about corruption, he should approach investigating agencies instead of issuing media statements just before elections.
Ajit Pawar's Stance and Continued Criticism
Ajit Pawar, while avoiding a direct response to Chavan's warning, continued his criticism of the BJP's past governance in Pune. He acknowledged Chavan's right to express his opinion as a state chief of an important party but stood by his allegations.
He targeted the BJP's tenure in the PMC from 2017 to 2022, claiming that a combination of corruption and poor governance derailed the city's development. "During these years, the civic issues of Pune aggravated rather than getting addressed," Pawar alleged.
The NCP chief clarified that there was no issue with project sanctions at the central or state level, but the problem lay with the PMC in their implementation. He also reiterated his proposal for the creation of two more municipal corporations in Pune district, noting that the PCMC currently has the largest geographical area for a civic body in Maharashtra.
This public exchange highlights the fragile nature of the BJP-NCP alliance at the local level in Maharashtra, where both parties are fiercely competing for control of key urban civic bodies, setting the stage for a tense electoral battle in Pune.
