With CIVIC elections delayed and the tenure of the present municipal body ending on March 13, the state government on Thursday issued an order appointing Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Patil as administrator, who will be the sole authority to take policy decisions and financial decisions with effect from March 14. will have the right. The decision to appoint Patil as administrator has triggered a verbal duel between the ruling BJP and the opposition NCP, both alleged that they favor each other.
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Municipal officials said that this is the first time in the history of the Municipal Corporation that an administrator has been appointed since the first general election in 1986. “After the municipal corporation came into existence, civic elections were never delayed and hence, there was never a need for an administrator,” said a senior civic official.
While the municipal commissioner did not issue a statement on his appointment, additional municipal commissioner Vikas Dhakane said, “He will have all the powers of the civic general body meeting with regard to policy decisions. Similarly, he will have the financial powers that are vested in the Citizens Standing Committee. ,
The appointment of Patil, an Orissa cadre IAS officer, sparked a war of words between the BJP and the NCP. The BJP alleged that since Patil had supported the NCP in the past, they would watch their every action carefully. BJP House leader in PCMC Namdev Dhake said, “If he does not take a decision in public interest, we will demand his transfer and action against him.”
Pimpri-Chinchwad BJP President Mahesh Landge said, “Since the government has decided to appoint Patil as administrator, we expect him to act with fairness. He should take all his decision in the interest of the people..we hope that he will not be guided by any political leader and will not bow down to any pressure.
NCP’s chief spokesperson Yogesh Behl said, “BJP’s argument that the commissioner has favored the NCP in the past has no basis. Actually, we had raised many issues regarding corruption by the BJP, but he did our best. No action was taken on the complaint. In this case, we can always accuse him of favoring the BJP. It is the prerogative of the state government who it wants to appoint as administrator.