PCMC delimitation plan out, ‘upset’ BJP alleges ‘NCP hand’, NCP dismisses allegation

THE Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation on Tuesday released the draft delimitation plan for 46 electoral panels. The plan took several corporators by surprise and upset the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which alleged “NCP hand” in the restructuring exercise.

Talwade has emerged as the biggest panel and Sangvi the smallest panel in the plan.

“We are not happy with the way the electoral panels have been restructured. They have been revised to suit the convenience of NCP candidates,” said the BJP’s Pimpri-Chinchwad president Mahesh Landge, alleging “NCP hand” in the exercise “as its leader Ajit Pawar is the Deputy Chief Minister.”

NCP, however, refuted the allegations. “The State Election Commission (SEC) functions under the Central Election Commission, which is an autonomous body. The NCP has no connection with the restructuring exercise,” said NCP Pimpri-Chinchwad president Sanjog Waghere.

Landge said some areas which are “inconvenient” to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) or “where its popularity is low” have been removed from that particular panel. “Similarly, areas which are favourable to our candidates have been taken away…,” he said.

The NCP said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is raking up the issue as “it knows that its days are numbered”.

Balasaheb Khandekar, who heads the PCMC election department, said, “The entire exercise has been fair and transparent. Everything has been done on the instructions of the SEC. Political parties will make allegations but they have an opportunity to raise their objections by February 14. The SEC will then come up with the final delimitation draft after March 2.”

Khandekar said the exercise has been carried out based on the 2011 population census. BJP corporator Seema Savale from Indrayaninagar said, “My panel has been changed drastically.”

Asha Shendge, another corporator, too said she would register her objections with the poll panel.

The PCMC election officials said Talwade panel will have the largest population of 40,767 people while Sangvi panel is the smallest with a population of 32,664.