Pune polls: NCP (SP) leader Jagtap joins Cong after opposing tie-up with Ajit Pawar's NCP

Mumbai, Dec 26 (PTI) Former Pune mayor and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) city president Prashant Jagtap on Friday joined the Congress, a move the party said would strengthen it ahead of Maharashtra municipal elections scheduled for January 15.

Jagtap joined the Congress in the presence of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Harshwardhan Sapkal at party headquarters Tilak Bhavan here. Several office-bearers of the NCP (SP) from Pune also switched over to the Congress along with Jagtap.

Welcoming Jagtap, Sapkal said the Congress represents the ideological legacy of Shivaji Maharaj, Shahu Maharaj, Jyotiba Phule and B.R. Ambedkar, and is committed to an ideological struggle.

"Some political parties today focus only on power and money to win elections. People usually salute the rising sun, but Prashant Jagtap has joined the Congress for ideological reasons," Sapkal said.

Leader of the Congress Legislature Party Vijay Wadettiwar said Jagtap refused to align with "communal forces" and chose the Congress without compromising on ideology.

"Several offers were made to Jagtap, but he remained committed to progressive values. If such leaders stand with us, 2029 will be ours," Wadettiwar said.

Former minister Naseem Khan said the country is facing serious challenges related to democracy, the Constitution, farmers, women, unemployment and law and order. He alleged that casteism and corruption are on the rise and accused the BJP of misleading people and following a policy of breaking parties.

"Only the Congress ideology can save the country," Khan said.

Speaking after joining the party, Jagtap said the Congress is a 135-year-old organisation with a strong ideological foundation, adding that he joined to carry forward the ideas of Shivaji, Shahu, Phule, Ambedkar, Gandhi and Nehru.

"My fight is against casteism and corruption, and today only the Congress can challenge the BJP," he said.

Jagtap quit the NCP (SP) after opposing the party's plan to align with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP for civic polls in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.

There can be no compromise over ideology, he said.

Earlier, the Congress felicitated 41 municipal presidents who won in the recent municipal council and nagar panchayat elections. The party said it won 1,006 councillor seats and finished second in 100 municipal councils across the state.

Addressing the event, Sapkal alleged that ruling parties misused money and official machinery during the elections, but Congress workers fought despite threats, assaults and false cases.

While the number of victories may appear modest, the performance was significant under adverse circumstances, he asserted.

The party also unveiled its 'Congress will fight, Maharashtra will win' tagline for the upcoming civic polls.

Polls to 29 municipal corporations will be held on January 15, while votes will be counted the next day. PTI MR BNM