The BJP was at the helm at the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) during the 2017-2022 period.Almost a week since she was “posted” as Additional Municipal Commissioner of PCMC, Smita Zagade is still waiting to take charge.
Sources said the delay is because a few leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are upset with the officer for “exposing” a politician-contractor “nexus” through which contract labourers were being fleeced of a major part of their pay.
The BJP was at the helm at the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) during the 2017-2022 period.
A senior official, however, said that delay in transfers are normal, adding Zagade will take charge soon.
The issue is also hinting at a possible friction between the BJP and the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena with the former said to be against her new posting and the latter seemingly indifferent towards it.
Last year, Zagade had submitted a report to the civic administration highlighting an alleged politician-contractor nexus in fleecing contract labourers by keeping them underpaid.
The report had helped the then commissioner Rajesh Patil in putting in place strong measures so that the labourers get full wages.
When asked why she has not taken her new charge, Zagade said, “I am also waiting for a green signal from the civic administration to take charge. I have been asked to wait…”
PCMC officials said Zagade has been asked to wait since a few BJP leaders are against her appointment to the post as she had exposed the wrongdoings by contractors who were close to the party. “Until last year, the BJP was ruling PCMC. It was Zagade who had broken the contactor-politician nexus. She had exposed how contactors where paying half the wages of their contracted labourers while pocketing the other half. The contractors were close to a few BJP politicians,” said a civic official.
Zagade refused to speak on the topic. “My report highlighted the wrongs done by contractors…The PCMC administration also filed an FIR in the matter…I would not like to speak much on the topic.”
When asked whether the BJP was behind the issue, Mahesh Landge, president of Pimpri-Chinchwad BJP unit, said, “The BJP has nothing to do with it. Her posting was done by the state government. We don’t know why she has not been given the charge. You should better ask the municipal commissioner.”
Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh on Monday told The Indian Express: “After the transfer, sometimes, there is a delay of a few days for officers to take charge…Zagade will join soon.” Shrirang Barne, Maval MP, who belongs to Shinde Group of Shiv Sena, also said the faction had nothing to do with Zagade not taking charge. “I don’t know anything..I will speak to the Chief Minister about this,” he said.
Another Shinde group leader said, “The BJP has a problem with Zagade. We don’t have any complaint against her.”
A senior civic official, however, said, “Zagade was given promotion last year and this year, again she becomes an Additional Municipal Commissioner. Government officials don’t get promotions every year. The government has realised its folly and must be making some changes in its order…She is not yet eligible for Additional Municipal Commissioner’s post and that is why the government might have realised that it has made a mistake.”
Zagade, however, said, “I was promoted last year itself as Additional Municipal Commissioner…but was not given the posting. Instead I was given the charge of Deputy Municipal Commissioner, which is equivalent to Assistant Municipal Commissioner.”