Despite the party losing the bypoll election in Kasba assembly in the city last year, BJP candidate Murlidhar Mohol is confident of winning the upcoming Lok Sabha election from Pune by riding on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the development work undertaken by his party in the city in the last few years.
“We have analysed what led to our defeat in the Kasba bypoll. There was not much of a margin between the winning candidate and the defeated candidate. The election was fought on local issues then, but this time, the focus of the polls is to mainly make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister of the country for a third time and that will work in our favour,” said Mohol in an interaction with The Indian Express on Monday.
Mohol exuded confidence as he said that he would get a lead in all the six assembly segments, including Kasba, that falls in Pune Lok Sabha constituency and the maximum would come from Kothrud, where he stays and got elected to the Pune Municipal Corporation four times in the past.
Talking about moving the city BJP office from Kasba to Shivajinagar and finally to Kothrud, Mohol said the shifting was done to provide a spacious office to the party. “It was needed as the BJP is the ruling party and many people visit the party office to get the work done,” he said.
Mohol, who was the mayor of the city, said in the last few years, he was able to reach out to people across the city in the capacity of mayor and chairperson of the standing committee. “I am aware of all the issues related to the city and would work on it. The completion of the Pune international airport would be on top of my priority list,” said Mohol adding that resolving traffic issues would be next on his agenda, which would be done by strengthening the public transport through Metro rail and PMPML bus service.
On the opposition of citizens for development of roads cutting across the hill due to its adverse impact on the environment, the BJP candidate said there is a need for a midway to ensure development takes place as per need but the environment should also not get affected.
“I will try to address the concerns of citizens supporting the environment. I also feel the environment should not be damaged but the requisite development work also needs to be carried out,” he said.
Asked about his alleged insistence to develop the toy train Mono rail in Thorat Garden in Kothrud despite opposition, Mohol said, “I think the way gardens are for senior citizens, they should also be for children and the toy train was specially proposed, keeping children in mind. However, if there is opposition from public, it would not be implemented.”
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