Pune: Chandrakant Patil has hurt self-respect of aspiring BJP workers: Amol Balwadkar (Video)

Pune: BJP former corporator Amol Balwadkar has directly challenged Kothrud MLA and State Minister Chandrakant Patil by alleging that he has hurt the self-respect of aspiring BJP workers and has used pressure tactics during the candidate selection process.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DAqLAGBJA_n

Balwadkar said, “It is a part of inner-party democracy if a worker expresses his wish to contest an election. However, Kothrud MLA and Minister Chandrakant Patil has hurt the self-respect of aspiring party workers and has used pressure tactics during the candidate selection process.

The BJP elicited views of party office-bearers from the six party-held constituencies in the presence of party observers. Out of the six Assembly seats, sitting MLAs have been preferred in five seats. This has upset other aspirants.

BJP former corporator Amol Balwadkar, who is an aspirant from the Kothrud Assembly segment, vented his anger by holding a press meet. He directly attacked the former party state president, sitting MLA and State Minister Chandrakant Patil.

Balwadkar said, “A party worker should be fearless. He should expose any wrongdoing in the party. I have nothing against the party. But I want to complain about some individuals. Party observers visited the city on Wednesday (October 2). Select office-bearers were called there. This is Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s party. Office-bearers were told that they should not mention names of Amol Balwadkar and Shyam Deshpande. Senior leaders may take their decision. But the party image is getting maligned due to some leaders.

“Leaders in my Kothrud are very big. I do not know to whom I should complain about them. Therefore, I am explaining my stand through the media. This would not have happened, had Girish Bapat Saheb been there.

“A party worker works hard. I have been preparing for the past two months. But I was boycotted in the selection process yesterday. Chandrakant Patil does not attend my programmes. He puts pressure on other office-bearers to not attend my functions. Is it a crime to be an aspirant? I am not worried about my future. One must speak out if one’s self-respect is hurt. I have conveyed this to Devendra Fadnavis, Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Raosaheb Danve. But they have not responded yet.

“Has MLA Patil become egoistic? I condemn the way inner-party democracy is being finished. The party survey was confidential. But it was leaked. The actual survey will be made by the people. I have also conducted a survey in Kothrud. I contacted 35,000 families. Most of them have preferred me. The party observers should go through my survey.”