March 4, 2022 5:22:51 am
Rajesh Patil’s appointment came on Thursday. WITH CIVIC elections delayed and the term of present civic general body coming to end on March 13, state government on Thursday issued an order appointing Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Patil as administrator who will be the sole authority for taking policy decisions and financial decisions from March 14. The decision to appoint Patil as the administrator has triggered a verbal duel between the ruling BJP and the opposition NCP, both alleging that he favours the other.
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Civic officials said this was the first time in the history of the municipal corporation that an administrator has been appointed since the first civic general elections in 1986. “After the municipal corporation came into being, civic elections have never been delayed and so, an administrator was never required,” said a senior civic official.
While the municipal commissioner did not issue a statement over his appointment, Additional Municipal Commissioner Vikas Dhakane said, “All the powers of the civic general body meeting regarding policy decisions will rest with him. Similarly, he will have the financial powers which are vested in the civic standing committee.”
The appointment of Patil, who is an Orissa cadre IAS officer, triggered a verbal battle between the BJP and NCP. The BJP alleged that since Patil has, in the past, favoured the NCP, they will watch every action of his carefully. “If he does not take decision in public interest, we will seek his transfer and action against him,” said Namdeo Dhake, BJP House leader in PCMC.
Pimpri-Chinchwad BJP president Mahesh Landge said, “Since the government has taken a decision to appoint Patil as the administrator, we expect that he will function with impartiality. He should take all his decision in the interest of the people…We hope he will not be guided by any political leader and will not buckle under any pressure.”
NCP chief spokesperson Yogesh Behl said, “The BJP’s contention that the commissioner has favoured NCP in the past has no basis…In fact, we had raised several issues regarding corruption by the BJP, but he did not take any action on our complaint. In this case, we can always accuse him of favouring the BJP…It is the state government’s prerogative who it wants to appoint as the administrator.”
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