Pune mayor locks horns with Congress

PUNE, DEC 16: Mayor Vandana Chavan reportedly took on the Congress party leaders on Monday for the appointment of her arch-rival Sham Mankar as chairman of the Pune Municipal Transport (PMT) committee. She is also said to have lodged a strong protest with the party.

Though, the mayor and other senior Congress leaders denied reports that they had clashed over the issue, there were many other partymen who vouched that she had been infuriated and had even threatened to tender her resignation on Monday afternoon.

Mankar, a Congress worker and president of the Hatti Ganpati Mandal, had fielded his wife against Chavan during the last municipal election. Even during the previous civic election held in 1992, he had openly campaigned against Chavan, who was the official Congress nominee. When confronted by media persons last evening, a visibly upset mayor, however, tried to evade their queries. “The issue has been settled. I hold no grudge against anyone. His (Mankar’s) nomination was the party’s decision.” But she admitted that things had gone out of hand when Mankar’s supporters, during their victory procession a couple of days ago, had assaulted one of her supporters. According to sources, the mayor had even sought disciplinary action against Mankar.