PNS candidate likely to be pitted against Mayor, chairman of Standing Committee

There are two women in the first official list of 10 candidates backed by the Pune Nagrik Sanghatana (PNS) for the upcoming PMC election. These women have been given an opportunity to contest the poll from wards reserved for women.u00a0

Going by the declared names, a most interesting triangular fight seems to be in the offing, involving PNS-backed Advocate Sunil Jagtap, Mayor Mohansingh Rajpal and PMC Standing Committee Chairman Ganesh Bidkar.u00a0

The 50-year-old Jagtap, who is standing for election for the first time, said: "I had a clean background and always worked for the educated candidates in Panel No 39 in Rasta Peth."

Jagtap has canvassed for well-known physician Dr S N Deshpande and former city deputy mayor D S Iyyar.u00a0"This is the ward where educated candidates get a chance to get elected," he said.u00a0

Saying he was confident of getting elected against Rajpal and Bidkar, Jagtap said, "My efforts are to create awareness about corruption at the municipal corporation level and I am appealing for a clean candidate. To be honest with the voters, I have given my resignation to the PNS president if any criminal case will be filed or a serious charge of corruption levelled against me."

Jagtap said he believed in democracy and had a strong socialist background.u00a0"Every decision of my panel or ward will be taken in a ward meeting with people. Like a gram sabha, I am establishing a ward sabha to know the problems of my people. This is the idea given in the Lokpal Bill, but I am enforcing it in advance," he said. "The socialist group is supporting me in this triangular fight. I took oath that I will not take dowry or accept a bribe long back, but I shall not use Anna Hazare's name while contesting the election."

Vijay Warudkar, coordinator, PNS, said, "All the candidates including Jagtap have good credentials and therefore these names are short-listed as our official candidates. We as PNS unit shall put all efforts into ensuring Jagtap wins in the election and are confident about his winning the seat though it apparently looks difficult."u00a0

Mayor Rajpal and the BJP's Bidkar are planning to contest the PMC election, but their names have not been officially declared by their parties.u00a0"This is my third attempt to become corporator from the same ward," Rajpal said. "I don't want to say anything about my plans or whether I will contest the election from Panel Number 39 in Rasta Peth till my name is formally announced by the big bosses of the NCP."u00a0Similar views were expressed by Bidkar. "I have done a lot of development work in the last five years. My efforts shall not go waste," he said.

Advocate Sunil Jagtap (Panel No. 39), Bhairu Chaughule (74), Preetam Indalkar (58), Vinodkumar Ojha (Panel 1), Raisa Shaikh (66), Amar Pol (66), Raj Fayaz (64), Hibesh Borse (62), Shilpa Saluke (1) and Dinkar Chaudhari (31)u00a0