GEARING UP for the forthcoming civic polls, state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil has urged former Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) corporators to reach out to local residents by organising various programmes, including a trip to Ayodhya, for them.
The BJP is also planning to invite Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the final event of ‘Jansamvad Abhiyaan’, an initiative to take the achievements of the party to Pune residents.
“It is necessary to continuously maintain a connect with the public. You should hold programmes of public interest in your electoral areas,” said Patil on Monday evening after releasing a ‘performance report’ of the BJP, the ruling party in the PMC for the last five years, and launching the Jansamvad Abhiyaan.
“The construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is being completed in phases. People will want to visit… so take them to Ayodhya. If there is a financial issue, then reach out to the party for the purpose,” said Patil. The state BJP chief said, “… We are not born only to work as corporators but nationalists working for the country. We should focus daily on public connect and service for the public.”
On the attacks against BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, he said, “We should react to such incidents. We have to fight for our organisation and its principles. The fight should be at the city, state and national level. We have done it on various issues in the past.”
Patil said former corporators should keep their public connect intact and go for morning walks every day. “Not everyone is fond of morning walks but they do it as a medium to connect with the public and understand their issues. Continue with your morning walk. Also, former corporators should visit the PMC headquarters daily while senior leaders should also spend time in PMC offices to take up public issues. Now you are no longer elected representatives but no one can dare ask why are you coming to PMC,” he said.
The state BJP chief said that the target of the ‘Jansamvad Abhiyaan’ was to reach out to every household with the ‘performance report’ of the party. “We will distribute 1.25 lakh copies of performance reports across city. They should be given to influential people of respective areas so that it automatically reaches at least 200 people,” he said, adding that the party has time as the civic elections are now likely to be held in September or October.
City BJP chief Jagdish Mulick said the ‘Jansamvad Abhiyaan’ will include holding events in each of the 58 ward panels across the city. “The vision for development of 58 ward panels will also be presented to the public,” he said.
Rajesh Pande, convenor of the BJP election committee for PMC, said a one-month-long Jansamvad Abhiyan has been planned to reach out to each and every household in the city.
Former mayor Murlidhar Mohol said there is a need to reach out to public to showcase the work done by BJP in PMC in the last five years. “Local residents can compare it with the work done in the previous 25 years by rival parties. BJP has fulfilled the citizens’ dream of Metro rail. We have also worked to resolve issues of public transport, traffic, water and river improvement. We should put up banners and advertising boards to take credit for our work or others will take credit for it. We have… social media and our teams are operational at ward level…,” he said.
Meanwhile, the state BJP is trying to get a senior national leader for the concluding rally of Jansamvad Abhiyaan. Patil said he has shortlisted a few names and will decide on a final name after consulting leaders of the city unit.
