Water issue to be resolved on priority within one year: Tatkare

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

This city is historic and important. However, it is unfortunate that the city’s water problem has still not been resolved. If the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) comes to power, priority will be given to the water issue and it will be resolved within one year, assured the party’s State President and MP Sunil Tatkare on Thursday at Wanjari Mangal Karyalaya.

He was speaking at an interaction meeting organised as part of the Ajit Pawar faction’s campaign for the municipal corporation elections.

Tatkare said, “ When Vilasrao Deshmukh was chief minister, cabinet meetings were held every year in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. During those meetings, issues related to the city and the Marathwada region were discussed and decisions were taken. At that time, he said, they had taken a firm stand. That process has now been disrupted.”

He further said, “ Our party’s strength in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has increased. The fact that an office of their candidate is being set on fire out of fear of his victory is an indication of this.” Secularism, he said, is the party’s lifeblood, and the party has a clear stand of taking all sections of society along. While allotting tickets as well, the party has considered all social groups. No one would be able to come to power in the municipal corporation without taking us along, said Tatkare.

On this occasion, State president (women’s wing) Rupali Chakankar, party spokesperson Suraj Chavan, candidate Adv. Datta Bhange, president of the social justice department Sunil Magre, and others also addressed the gathering. The programme began with an address by city president Abhijit Deshmukh, while Nagesh Bhalerao conducted the proceedings and Qayum Shaikh proposed the vote of thanks. District president MLC Satish Chavan was prominently present. At the same time, Meraj Patel, the city women’s president of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), along with a few other workers, joined the Ajit Pawar faction.

Our NDA stand remains unchanged

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, MP Sunil Tatkare said that both factions of the NCP are contesting together in the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations. Although discussions about a possible merger have begun on this basis, he clarified that their stand of remaining with the NDA is firm. “I am not big enough to ask Sharad Pawar to join the NDA,” he said.

He also discussed the city’s civic issues on this occasion, particularly the water problem.