Pune Guardian Minister Chandrakant Patil | Split in NCP Raises Speculation Over Change in Pune’s Guardian Minister
Pune : Pune Guardian Minister Chandrakant Patil | The internal division within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has sparked discussions and apprehension about a potential change in the position of Pune’s guardian minister. Currently held by Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Kothrud MLA, Chandrakant Patil, the role might be assumed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who holds a senior position within the state government. Pawar has a significant tenure as one of Pune’s longest-serving guardian ministers.
Following a state administration reshuffle in 2022, Patil was appointed as Pune’s guardian minister. Prior to that, Pawar had held the position for over two and a half years, during which he led crucial meetings throughout the Covid era. Girish Bapat, a former member of the state assembly from 2014 to 2019, had also served as Pune’s guardian minister.
The potential change of guard has raised concerns among BJP workers in the city, while NCP workers have shown enthusiasm. A prominent BJP official in the city mentioned that despite the NCP being part of the BJP-led state government, the party’s representatives in Pune would strive to maximize their advantages if Pawar assumes the role of guardian minister. Other BJP leaders asserted that the party held a strong majority and wielded significant influence over both the city and the district. They emphasized the party’s unilateral decision-making in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), where the BJP enjoys an absolute majority.
“We have been the dominant force in decision-making in Pune for a decade. While Pawar’s appointment as guardian minister could potentially diminish the influence of the NCP and Congress in the city, it would provide the NCP with an opportunity to rebuild its strength,” remarked a BJP leader.
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