Political controversy has erupted in Pune after anonymous banners targeting senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Satej Patil, popularly known as Bunty Patil, appeared at various locations across the city. The Pune City Congress has strongly condemned the incident and announced that it will file a police complaint against those responsible.
Reacting to the matter, Pune (East) Congress President Prashant Jagtap said such “mischievous and defamatory acts” must be curbed immediately. He alleged that political opponents were attempting to create divisions within the Pune Congress at a time when the party had strengthened its organisation under the leadership of Patil.
According to Congress leaders, the party performed well in the recent Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections under Patil’s guidance, and the latest banner campaign is being viewed as an attempt to weaken party unity.
The Pune City Congress delegation, led by party office-bearers including Prashant Jagtap and Deepti Choudhary, met Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil and demanded action against those who had installed the posters.
Prashant Jagtap, speaking to Free Press Journal, said, "We are demanding action against the unknown individuals who installed the banners and tried to defame the Congress Party and its leaders. Technical analysis should be conducted, and the persons should be identified. There is no division in the party; we are all one."
