Pune, Jan 12 (IANS) The political atmosphere in Pune has escalated to a critical juncture as Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and the BJP’s top guns, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, are embroiled in a significant verbal confrontation regarding the issue of “freebie” politics.

The conflict intensified after Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, representing the Nationalist Congress Party, promised free PMPML (Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited) bus and Metro services in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad in their joint manifesto, titled ‘Ashtasutri Pragati (Eight-Point Progress)’.

In a strategic move to woo voters, Dy CM Ajit Pawar claimed that making public transport free is financially viable. He argued that if the Municipal Corporation allocates Rs 5 crore monthly for the Metro and Rs 20 crore for PMPML (totalling roughly Rs 300 crore annually), free travel could become a reality within three years of the NCP coming to power. This announcement has reportedly rattled the BJP leadership, who recently released their own ‘Sankalp Patra’ (Vision Document) focused on a “Developed Pune”. Incidentally, NCP and BJP are engaged in a friendly fight, but due to political rhetoric between the two, the contest has become fierce.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has openly criticised fellow Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s campaign promise of providing free bus and metro travel to residents of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, calling it unrealistic and legally unfeasible. He remarked, “I was actually thinking of announcing today that all flights taking off from Pune should be free for women. What does it take to make an announcement? It costs us nothing to make tall claims.”

He suggested that such promises often stem from political insecurity. He stated that politicians sometimes release unrealistic manifestos out of “desperation” when they realise they might not win. “Even then, I believe we should only say things that people can actually believe — things that are actually doable,” he added.

CM Fadnavis provided a detailed technical explanation as to why the Metro fare cannot be waived at the whim of a state leader (Ajit Pawar). “The Metro is a joint venture between the state and the Central government. The Chairman of the Metro body is a Union Secretary, while the Managing Director is from the State. Under the law, a dedicated ‘Fare Fixation Committee’ holds the legal authority to decide ticket prices,” he explained.

He further stated, “Even if I want to waive the ticket price tomorrow, I cannot do it. The committee determines the cost based on operational expenses. If you don’t charge the commuters, you must explain exactly where the funds to cover those expenses will come from.”

Defending the sensibilities of Pune’s citizens, CM Fadnavis emphasised that the local population values quality over charity. He noted that Punekars are disciplined taxpayers who have historically stood in long queues to pay their bills on time. “Punekars don’t want freebies. They want a service that is reliable and dependable,” he asserted. “They want excellent Metro and bus services. They are willing to pay the minimum required cost for a better experience. They know this promise is just an election stunt that cannot be fulfilled,” he noted.

On the other hand, Minister Chandrakant Patil was quick to dismiss Dy CM Ajit Pawar’s promise as “misleading”. He countered by revealing internal government friction, alleging that Dy CM Ajit Pawar himself had previously stalled a file regarding free higher education for girls for six months, citing a lack of state funds.

Minister Patil further asserted that any decision regarding free Metro or bus services rests solely with the cabinet and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, not the Deputy Chief Minister. “This is not within his (Ajit Pawar’s) authority to grant,” he stated, attempting to reclaim the narrative for the BJP.

The “free travel” row is the latest chapter in a two-week-long offensive launched by Ajit Pawar against the BJP’s governance in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Dy CM Ajit Pawar has consistently targeted Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol, mocking the BJP’s role in the Metro project by claiming the groundwork was laid during the previous Congress-NCP regime. Previously, he labelled the BJP leaders overseeing the Pune Municipal Corporation as a “trio of administrators (Karbhari Trikut)” and accused them of financial mismanagement.

The tension recently forced CM Fadnavis to intervene after BJP State President Ravindra Chavan expressed “regret” over the alliance with Ajit Pawar, following the latter’s pointed remarks about those who once levelled Rs 70,000 crore corruption allegations against him.

Political observers suggest that Ajit Pawar’s daily salvos and “subtle taunts” (such as his frequent use of “Jai Jinendra” to reference the Jain Boarding controversy) have kept the BJP on the defensive. By shifting the focus to direct voter benefits like free transport, the NCP aims to disrupt the BJP’s stronghold in the upcoming municipal and state-level contests.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)

–IANS

sj/dpb