Pune: Maharashtra Minister for Higher and Technical Education Chandrakant Patil cast his vote on Thursday morning at around 9.30 am in the Kothrud area. A key leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections, Patil expressed confidence after voting.
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Patil has been one of the principal decision-makers for the BJP in the run-up to the civic polls in Pune. Along with Union Minister of State and Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol, he played a major role in shaping the party’s strategy, including candidate finalisation and other key decisions related to the city.
The minister has also been in the spotlight due to a political scuffle involving Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, former MLA Ravindra Dhangekar, and former BJP corporator Amol Balwadkar. Ahead of the elections, Patil strongly criticised Pawar and the Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) manifesto, which promised free public transport, including services on the Pune Metro and Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML).
Meanwhile, the denial of a ticket to former BJP corporator Amol Balwadkar from the Baner area has sparked accusations and counter-allegations. Patil claimed that an earlier video allegedly showing Balwadkar with a gangster was the reason behind the party’s decision.
Former MLA Ravindra Dhangekar later entered the controversy and displayed photographs allegedly showing Chandrakant Patil with the same gangster whom Patil had cited while denying Balwadkar a ticket. Dhangekar also accused Patil of having a role in the rise of crime in Pune district, particularly in the Kothrud area.
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