Maharashtra minister and senior BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Sunday advised Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar not to target his Mahayuti allies during the civic poll campaign.
In his press conferences on Friday and Saturday, Ajit Pawar had alleged corruption and irregularities in the civic bodies in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, both of which were ruled by the BJP between 2017 and 2022 before the appointment of administrators.
Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the BJP, and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena are part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance in the state, but are fighting separately in some of the 29 municipal corporations that will go to polls on 15 January. The NCP and BJP are fighting polls in the two civic bodies, both in the Pune district, separately. He had blamed the civic leadership—a reference to the Bharatiya Janata Party—for the "derailed development" of Pune, the state's second-largest city, and for Pimpri Chinchwad becoming debt-ridden despite having "adequate resources".
Speaking to reporters during the campaign for the Jalna Municipal Corporation polls, Bawankule said, "It was collectively decided during a coordination meeting that leaders of the alliance would not criticise one another during the campaign."
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"Despite this, Ajit Pawar broke the agreement. He should observe restraint in the future," Bawankule said. Bawankule also backed Maharashtra BJP chief Ravindra Chavan's statements on Pawar. Chavan on Saturday said if the BJP starts making allegations, it would create serious difficulties for him (Pawar). Chavan had advised the NCP chief to "introspect" before levelling allegations.
Addressing a campaign rally in Pimpri-Chinchwad last month, Ajit Pawar had said, "While finalising the list of candidates for the Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal elections, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) faction decided to contest the polls together in Pimpri-Chinchwad. Because of this, the family will come together once again."
Calling it a decision taken in the interest of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar said the seat-sharing arrangement will be announced soon. "There were many questions in people’s minds about what would happen; many times, certain decisions have to be taken in the interest of Maharashtra’s development. I have discussed seat-sharing with leaders, and that too will be announced soon," he said.
