Jagtap’s induction has raised hopes for the Congress in the Pune civic body elections—polls will be held on January 15—at a time when many of its aspirants have joined other parties. (Express photo by Akash Patil)
Ending the suspense, former Pune mayor Prashant Jagtap joined the Congress on Friday, two days after quitting the Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP) amid speculation that it would ally with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) polls. Jagtap, who headed the NCP(SP) in Pune, had opposed the alliance.
“I want to state that I am joining the Congress to take forward the ideology of Shiv (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj), Shahu (Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj), (Jyotirao) Phule and (Dr B R) Ambedkar and of (Mahatma) Gandhi and (Jawaharlal) Nehru. I have nothing against my former leaders, and my fight is not against them. My fight is against the BJP and the RSS and communal forces,” Jagtap said, after he was inducted into the Congress, along with a few more office-bearers of the Pune NCP(SP), by state party chief Harshvardhan Sakpal in Mumbai.
Jagtap said that his decision was in the interest of the voters of Wanowrie and Hadapsar constituencies, who stood by him in his long political career based on a secular ideology.
“I have made it clear that I sought support on the basis of a secular ideology. I want to maintain that and cannot cheat my supporters or voters. Congress follows a secular ideology, so it was my preferred choice for my next political journey,” he said, adding that both factions of the Shiv Sena had invited him to join them.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sachin Ahir said that Jagtap had been invited, but it was his decision on which party he wanted to join. “The Shiv Sena(UBT) is also of the opinion that we should keep a distance from the NCP(SP) for the civic polls if it joins hands with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, which is part of the BJP-led NDA,” he added.
Meanwhile, a section of the Pune Congress expressed displeasure over the decision to induct Jagtap into the party. “He will have to follow the decisions of the Congress leadership, and should not keep his interests as a priority,” said a Congress leader.
A two-time former corporator, Jagtap was the mayor of Pune when the NCP was in power in the civic body. He was the NCP chief in Pune before the party split, and stayed with Sharad Pawar.