Residents of Pune's Mohammadwadi and Undri on Wednesday protested against the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), demanding that the corporation fulfil their basic civic amenities. The protestors put up posters, reading "Deprived and Betrayed by PMC for above 18 years" and "Buy water to survive".
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They also "threatened" to boycott the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls and alleged that the civic body failed to address their basic issues from 2017.
A local said, "I think it is a citizen's legitimate right to ask for water. We are paying the highest number of taxes and although we are now under the jurisdiction of the Pune Municipal Commissioner from 2017, water is a basic necessity. For us, we are very clear, no water, no tax, no vote because the people (political leaders) are coming to us (for vote) every five years. They are making promises, but things have remained the same for the last two decades. It's been so many years now..."
As the election date draws near, this protest gains significance, highlighting the growing discontent among citizens.
"I think now the common man has to come on the road and fight for his rights....," he said.
Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with the counting for all 288 constituencies to be held on November 23.
The major contest is between the ruling Mahayuti alliance comprising the BJP alongside the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) -- comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress.
Both the rival camps have intensified their preparations in the run-up to the assembly polls.
In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and Congress won 44 seats. In 2014, the BJP won 122 seats, Shiv Sena secured 63, and Congress won 42 seats.
