Top Pimpri Ncp Leaders Unhappy Over Kakade Nomination

The NCP decision to field Vikram Kakade for Pune Legislative Council poll has made top leaders of the party in Pimpri-Chinchwad upset. They argue that if Ajit Pawar was alive such a situation would not have arisen. Among leaders who were claimant for the council seat include former mayor Yogesh Behl, who is also the president of NCP Pimpri-Chinchwad, another former mayor Vilas Lande, corporators Nana Kate, who is former president of NCP Pimpri-Chinchwad unit and senior corporators Bhausaheb Bhoir. Making no bones about the fact that he was upset after denial of the nomination, Behl said, "I am unhappy about party's decision to deny me the nomination. I was 100 per cent claimant for the council seat. This is because Ajitdada had during civic elections in December-January promised me that he would nominate me to the council. At that time, I was not keen to contest the civic elections as I had been the corporators for more than 30 years. But Ajitdada insisted that I should contest the civic elections and then he would do justice to me in future. Unfortunately, he passed away." Behl said most top leaders from Pimpri-Chinchwad were expecting that one of them would be nominated. ''Had the party nominated anyone of us, we would not have been unhappy. This is because we all have slogged for the party for years and have been party loyalist. We feel that we deserved the nomination," he said. Also Read | Two candidates withdraw from fray after BJP workers oppose their candidature Behl said he cannot even contest the legislative assembly seat from Pimpri as it is a reserved seat. ''How long can I remain a corporator. I wanted to become an MLC and raise the issue of the entire city, district and the State. I want to raise the issue of farmers, the workers, labourers and womenfolk from across Maharashtra." Behl however, said though he was unhappy, he would continue to back party national president Sunetra Pawar and MP Parth Pawar. "I am voicing my sentiments about being unhappy. But I will continue to back my party and party president Sunetra Pawar and MP Parth Pawar." Vilas Landed said, "I don't know why I was denied the nomination. I thought in view of my seniority and loyalty to the party would get the chance this time. But someone who just joined the party got the opportunity. May be the party leadership thought their joining the party would strengthen it." Landed too said if Ajit Pawar was alive, he would have done the appropriate justice. "I certainly feel that if Ajit Pawar was alive he would have nominated some from Pimpri-Chinchwad. This is because Pimpri-Chinchwad never had an MLC. The BJP has two MLAs, the Sena has an MP while NCP has only one. Our position is weak. Our city should have been given opportunity this which otherwise has evade us for years." Nana Kate, another top NCP leader, said, "We all feel that justice has not been done to Pimpri-Chinchwad. We had long been ignored by the party. This time, at least we hoped that we would get any opportunity. I thought the party would nominate me or any other party leader from Pimpri-Chinchwad..However, we are not against party picking Vikram Kakade but we feel other senior leaders from Pimpri-Chinchwad should have got the nod in the larger interest of the party in industrial city."