PUNE, January 15: Former Union Minister Suresh Kalmadi has put to rest all speculations over the likelihood of his joining BJP by announcing that he was going to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha election under the banner of his newly-formed Pune Vikas Aghadi. Kalmadi's announcement is significant as it comes in the wake of reports of Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde pressing him to join the BJP.Addressing a sizeable crowd at the opening ceremony of Aghadi's election office Wednesday evening, Kalmadi said ``the Aghadi's election symbol was yet to be finalised, but I am contesting the election as its nominee. I will get back to you soon after the symbol is granted,'' he added.
Kalmadi spoke at length on how he was compelled by Congress president Sitaram Kesri to quit the party and how he planned to transform Pune into the ``Detroit of the East.''.
Speaking before Kalmadi, former mayor Bharat Sawant tried to impress upon the crowds that the former MP was being sought by all the national and regional
parties, who desperately wanted him in their respective folds to gain political mileage in New Delhi. ``But Sureshbhai has decided to single-handedly work for the development of Pune. The residents of Vishrantwadi should now look beyond the political parties and vote for this individual,'' he appealed.
Local Congressmen, however, charged Kalmadi and his campaign managers of misleading political party workers and voters in general by making false statements at such public gatherings.
``Kalmadi is making several contradictory statements at different gatherings, like he had left the Kesri Congress and not the Indian National Congress, that he had supported a move by the BJP leadership to form government at New Delhi, and that he was contesting the Lok Sabha election as an Independent. His only aim is to win over the traditional vote banks of the Congress, saffron parties and the minorities,'' they alleged.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
