PUNE, December 30: Pune Mayor Vandana Chavan today put to rest doubts about her political loyalties when she asserted that she had no plans to leave the Congress and hence the question of joining the Pune Vikas Aghadi, floated by Suresh Kalmadi, did not arise.``I had decided right from the beginning (of my political career) not to leave the Congress, come what may. And, I have not left the Congress. I have not signed any document of the Pune Vikas Aghadi,'' Chavan stated in a press note issued during a hurriedly called press conference.
The clarification was being issued to clear the doubts after her presence alongside Kalmadi at the welcome rally organised by his supporters at the Pune railway station premises yesterday, she further stated.
``I attended the rally in my capacity as first citizen and as an invitee and not the convenor of the function in appreciation of Kalmadi's contribution,'' Chavan told reporters. On her New Delhi visit, the mayor said there was nothing political about it as she hadbeen there to follow-up and discuss some civic matters, besides, invite senior IPS officer Kiran Bedi for a civic function.
However, doubts remained over the first citizen's role during the current political turmoil triggered by Kalmadi's exit from the Congress, as her appearance with Kalmadi is talked in hushed tones.
BJP Leaders' ire
Enraged over the party's stand on the Pune Lok Sabha constituency, senior BJP leaders in the city today decided to call on party president L K Advani in Mumbai on January 1 and register their opposition to the move to support Suresh Kalmadi.
The senior BJP leaders who fear threat to their political future following Kalmadi's plans to join the BJP or to seek party support in the Lok Sabha election, today held two separate meetings to tackle the rapidly changing political situation in the city.
The meetings attended by former Lok Sabha member Anna Joshi, MLC Prakash Jawdekar, former MLA Dr Arvind Lele, MLA Girish Bapat, MLA, city BJP president Pradeep Ravat,
general secretary Vijay Kale, former city BJP president Shankarrao Yadav and former corporator Vishwas Gangurde witnessed heated debate over the options available with them under the changing scenario.
Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
