Mayor says he's popular, will complete full term

Rajpal not perturbed by his party asking mayor of neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad to step down from post

Rajpal not perturbed by his party asking mayor of neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad to step down from post
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Mayor Mohansingh Rajpal is least perturbed by the developments at the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). Even as the mayor of Pimpri-Chinchwad Yogesh Behl, and his deputy Dabbo Awani, were asked to relinquish their post by NCP observer, the city Mayor insisted his chair was safe.u00a0u00a0


Mayor Mohansingh Rajpal

Rajpal said the relations between the NCP and the Congress sored during the Standing Committee elections, when Sharad Pawar's party supported the BJP candidate for the post of chairman. "Our leader Ajit Pawar did not like the attitude of Congress leader Suresh Kalmadi. I am sure, the Mayor's post will not change now," Rajpal said. "I am the popular Mayor and have attended over 4,500 public functions in the last 15 months," Rajpal said.u00a0

Rajpal said the situation in the industrial township was entirely different. "NCP is the only ruling party in PCMC and so it decided to replace Behl and Aswani. In Pune, we are sharing power with the Congress," said Rajjpal.
Both Rajpal and Behl were appointed by the NCP high command on December 2009.

On March 16, Rajpal completed 16 months at office. His tenure as the city Mayor has been tumultuous so far. He first ruffled feathers with his decision to remove the statue of Dadoji Konddeo from Lal Mahal, leading to violent agitations by the BJP and the Shiv Sena.u00a0

If that was not enough he was also accused of helping himself to at least Rs 15 lakh from the Pune Municipal Corporation coffers, allegedly to fund Baisakhi, a Sikh religious festival and New Year.

'Singled out'
The ousted Mayor Behl, meanwhile, said he had been given a raw deal by the high command. "When both of us (Rajpal and himself) were appointed at the same time without a specific time frame, than why was I singled out to leave the post? he asked. He said there was no rational behind his removal.NCP observer Ghanashyam Shelar visited Pimpri and asked both Behl and Aswani to give up their post.

NCP convention
The NCP state-level convention will take place at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch in the city on April 22 in which party president Sharad Pawar and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will guide the party civic leaders in the entire state. "I will be the official convener at the convention," Rajpal said.

Man at work
Rajpal is only the second male Mayor in the PMC since 1996-97. Between 1999 and 2002 the Congress' Datta Gaikwad held the post. The Mayor's post has mostly been occupied by women from the open category or backward or scheduled castes. After Rajpal, it will be reserved again for a woman from the backward category. The situation may change after the municipal elections scheduled for February 2012.