Political Backstabbing in Bhosari NCP Resurfaces
- Former Mayor’s Viral Video Fuels Discussion on Internal Rebellion During 2014 Elections
Pimpri : Late Ajit Pawar played a major role in developing Pimpri-Chinchwad city and giving political opportunities to many leaders. During the NCP’s rule in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, he gave important positions to several local as well as outside leaders and helped them gain political recognition. However, discussions have once again started in political circles that some of these very leaders later turned against Ajitdada and worked for their own political interests instead of supporting him.
The debate has intensified after former Mayor Mangala Kadam, in the presence of MLA Mahesh Landge, allegedly made remarks suggesting that political planning had been going on for nearly 15 years to defeat NCP’s official 2014 Assembly election candidate Vilas Lande. Her statement has once again brought old internal conflicts, groupism and allegations of political betrayal within Pimpri-Chinchwad politics into the spotlight, raising fresh questions over the role played by certain leaders during that period.
Power Centres of Pimpri-Chinchwad Politics
Before 2014, late Laxman Jagtap and former MLA Vilas Lande were considered the two most influential leaders in Pimpri-Chinchwad politics. Late Ajit Pawar had placed immense trust in both leaders and had given them wide political authority. After the Nationalist Congress Party came to power in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, decisions regarding appointments to key posts such as Mayor, Standing Committee Chairman, Party Leader, Group Leader and various committee positions were largely taken by these two leaders.
At that time, political debates over “outsiders” versus “locals” frequently surfaced in the city. However, setting aside these differences, Ajit Pawar gave opportunities to several leaders including former Mayor Mangala Kadam, Yogesh Behl, Vaishali Ghodekar, Mohini Lande, former Standing Committee Chairman Ajit Gavhane and present MLA Mahesh Landge by assigning them important positions in the civic administration and party structure.
Political Betrayal ? Discussion Around the 2014 Defeat
Former MLA Vilas Lande had supported many party office-bearers without considering that some of them could later emerge as political challengers to him. Treating Ajit Pawar’s decisions as final, he focused more on implementing the party leadership’s choices rather than building his own political safeguards. However, over time, several of these very leaders allegedly became political rivals and opponents of Vilas Lande. Political circles in Pimpri-Chinchwad still discuss that this internal opposition ultimately played a major role in Lande’s defeat in the 2014 Assembly election.
Crack in Ajit Pawar’s Trust ?
During the 2014 Assembly elections, when a strong BJP wave was sweeping across Maharashtra, then Chinchwad MLA late Laxman Jagtap joined the BJP to protect his political position and hold over the constituency. In contrast, Vilas Lande chose to remain loyal to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) instead of switching political sides.
At that time, Ajit Pawar had reportedly ignored strong opposition within the party and given Mahesh Landge the important post of Standing Committee Chairman in the municipal corporation. Despite this, Landge sought the party’s nomination for the Assembly election. However, after the NCP officially declared Vilas Lande as its candidate, Landge filed his nomination as an independent candidate by rallying together leaders opposed to Lande within the party. NCP supporters in Bhosari are now saying that this was the moment when Ajitdada’s trust in some leaders suffered a major setback.
Betrayed by Those They Once Elevated ?
Political circles are now abuzz with discussions that former Mayor Mangala Kadam was also part of these political developments, following remarks allegedly made by her during a recent dispute over action against an unauthorized construction. It is being said that her frustration during the incident revealed long-suppressed political sentiments.
In the presence of MLA Mahesh Landge, Kadam was allegedly heard saying, “Did I not ask you before starting this construction ? I began it only after you told me to go ahead. Maheshdada, I have worked for you for the last 15 years to politically defeat Vilas Lande.” A video of the statement is currently going viral on social media.
Following the viral clip, discussions have intensified among NCP workers that some leaders who were once politically nurtured and promoted by Ajitd Pawar allegedly worked against the party’s official leadership during the 2014 elections, leading to what many supporters describe as a betrayal of the party’s trust.
Exposure of Internal Rebellion Within NCP ?
Following the statement, fresh discussions have started in political circles over whether there was internal sabotage within the Nationalist Congress Party during the 2014 Assembly elections, with some leaders allegedly working behind the scenes against the party’s official candidate. Political observers are also claiming that certain office-bearers from within the party may have played an active role in the defeat of Vilas Lande. As a result, citizens and NCP workers are now raising questions over whether this amounted to a political betrayal of Ajit pawar’s trust. After the viral video of former Mayor Mangala Kadam surfaced on social media, discussions have intensified that it may have indirectly exposed the internal factionalism and rebellion within the party during that period.
