All due to apathy towards Independent corporators
Nagpur: It is rightly said that if the associates are displeased, they cannot help biting their fellows. This is what is being visualized in the affairs of the State Government which is neglecting the interest of independents, and the same thing is being witnessed in the affairs of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) too.
It may be seen as a bitter truth that BJP can go to any extent of false assurances to grab power. It has repeated its habit of giving false assurances to its independents (alliance partners) with whose support it has come to power. The dissatisfied independents may thus take a revenge during the forthcoming MLC elections in the state in December.
With a view grab power in the NMC, soon after elections, the Ruling party (BJP) constituted a group (of 14 or 16) independents as its alliance and got the alliance registered in the office of divisional commissioner so that no one could break the alliance in future, and ever one would remain faithful to the alliance till the next election, making the ruling party safe in governance. As a result, the independents are therefore required to forgo their own political interest.
An independent corporator was sacrificed to favour Bandu Raut. Recently, the election to the post of chairman, Fire Fighting Department, NMC was held. Its earlier chairman was Kishor Dorle, but during his tenure he alone reaped the benefits without extending benefits to Ruling party. At the same time, the departmental official earned profit ten fold with distribution among fellows. As a result, the ruling party became displeased, and Bandu Raut was made vice chairman of the committee and under pressure Munna Yadav was made chairman of fire fighting committee.
Dorle thus became pricked and lost his attachment to Ruling party. He is keeping quiet, for the time being, in all matters relating to Ruling party. But, his silence may explode during forthcoming election for MLC in the month of December, from local self-governing constituency. Dorle claims the support of 10 independent corporators. Besides, about 2 dozen corporators of Shiv Sena are in contact with Dorle.
On the other hand, about a dozen candidates including the mayor are interest in MLC candidature. If Congress happens to give one more chance to sitting MLC Mulak, the BJP candidate may have to pay heavy price for each vote.
Standing committee chairman Ramesh Shingare has no knowledge about the matters related to fire fighting department. The department is solely handled by one Farkase as he looks after all affairs of the department. If Shingare makes any query, Farkase lazily provides slip-answers. Shingare is ignorant about the project in the department, yet he appoints project management consultant, at the cost of no gain, but a loss in lakhs of rupees.
The committee members are unhappy because they are not getting their share of profit in lieu of every subject sanctioned during the meetings, and he himself is taking lion’s share. On the footings of that in State Assembly, a scam has taken place in the period of Shingare, for which Shingare himself, the Ruling party and general administration department are responsible.
Rajeev Ranjan Kushwaha (rajeev.nagpurtoday@gmail.com)
