Pimpri-Chinchwad hoarding collapse: Another BJP leader seeks probe into alleged corruption

The hoarding collapse killed five persons and injured three others in Kiwale on April 17. (Express Photo)

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Pimpri-Chinchwad hoarding collapse: Another BJP leader seeks probe into alleged corruption

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Following the illegal hoarding tragedy in which five people were killed in the Kiwale area on Monday, the Pimpri-Chinchwad unit of the BJP has landed in a soup as another senior member has come forward and demanded an investigation into the matter.

Mahesh Kulkarni, a former member of the BJP state unit and former general secretary of the Pimpri-Chinchwad unit, has written to state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to seek a report from the BJP unit and investigate the matter “to save the party from being defamed”.

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“After the hoardings tragedy, allegations are being made that there was corruption in setting up hoardings across the city. This corruption allegedly occurred during the tenure of the BJP, which ruled PCMC from 2017 to 2022. If the allegations pertaining to the BJP tenure, then the party must thoroughly probe the matter,” Kulkarni told The Indian Express Sunday.

Kulkarni has also put up a Facebook expressing his fear that the party would not be able to win 100 wards if party office-bearers and representatives are openly defamed. “I had not experienced such a careless attitude. If our office-bearers and former corporators are being defamed and allegations being made, then how can we cross the 100 wards mark in the ensuing civic elections,” Kulkarni said in his Facebook post.

Also Read |Pimpri Chinchwad hoarding deaths: Former top office-bearer alleges corruption in awarding contracts

“There are news articles alleging multi-crore scam in allowing illegal hoardings to mushroom… Will state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis look into the matter and resolve the issue?” he asked.

Kulkarni said the allegations in the hoardings scam were severe, so he decided to take up the matter with the party seniors. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been discussing ridding the country of corruption. But when our own party ruled Pimpri-Chinchwad, allegations of corruption surfaced. Therefore, the party needs to move forward, investigate the matter and clear the air about it,” he said.

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Kulkarni said allegations had surfaced that one or two BJP office-bearers were involved in the hoardings scam. “These are allegations and when allegations are made directly, we need to take note of it. Otherwise, it is going to affect the party’s image and reputation. And this might also affect our chances of winning the majority and returning to the PCMC in the ensuing elections,” he said.

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Earlier this week, Seema Savale, a former standing committee chairperson of PCMC and a former BJP corporator, had also made allegations of corruption. In a letter to Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh, she demanded a thorough probe into the hoarding tragedy.