Power to people: Residents draft manifestos for aspirants

Pune: Even before political parties finalise their poll strategies, citizens across several neighbourhoods have begun organising themselves to ensure that local issues do not get sidelined in the upcoming civic elections.The plan is that these citizens' charters will be handed over to all aspirants seeking their votes in the polls. Their goal is to ensure that elections revolve around pressing civic issues, rather than political rhetoric or unrelated controversies that typically dominate campaigns.In PMC limits: Onus on candidates to prove their vision for the ward & city Bavdhan Citizens Forum (BCF): Nagrik Sabhas put aspirants on the mat After three years of no local representation in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), members of the Bavdhan Citizens Forum (BCF) have developed a rhythm of coordination with civic officials to get routine maintenance work and other pending development in their locality accomplished. That being said, large-scale projects and constant follow-ups still need the aid of corporators, believe BCF representatives. With elections around the corner, BCF decided to have Nagrik Sabhas — a platform aimed at giving aspiring candidates some facetime with residents, and a place for residents to ask pertinent questions before they decide whom to vote for. Dushyant Bhatia, one of the directors of BCF, told TOI, "The idea behind the Nagrik Sabha is two-fold. Not only do we want to lay down our demands and priorities, but we also want to hear what plans aspiring candidates have for Bavdhan. It's important that what they plan aligns with what residents want." The forum carried out a survey of citizens' problems, demands and expectations recently, after which a memorandum of demands was given to aspiring candidates, who have informally expressed their interest in the poll contest already. "The purpose of this meeting was not only to present the issues and suggestions of Bavdhan as a collective, but also to understand the vision of the aspiring corporators as far as development of our neighbourhood is concerned," Bhatia added. At each Nagrik Sabha, held on Nov 21 and Nov 30, aspirants presented their views and also shared details of their social activities. Bavdhan resident Santosh Deshmukh, who was present at both Sabhas, said that he is convinced a model like this helps citizens make more informed decisions. "The aspiring candidates are standing in front of us talking about their plan and answering our questions. They have to justify seeking our vote and are forced to face the problems we present. BCF has unified the area residents in a manner that reminds politicians that they cannot take us for granted by making false assurances and not following through," the IT professional and entrepreneur added. Some of Bavdhan's key issues revolve around two half-done roads in the area, demand for a power substation and consistent water supply. Sahakarnagar Citizens' Forum (SCF): Fierce debate to allow candidates to win trust For the upcoming municipal corporation elections, members of Sahakarnagar Citizens' Forum (SCF) have a unique and ambitious plan. They want candidates who get tickets from various parties to present their plan and vision for the ward and the city to them in a format almost akin to the US Presidential race — a freewheeling debate. "We have taken our issues to the corporators, old and aspiring, multiple times. They know what we need and what the city needs, and we want to see how clear they are about their own plans. It is important that the candidate understands what the area wants. A debate will truly reflect this," said one of the founder-members of SCF, Amit Abhyankar. "The aim is to also understand what the candidates have planned in terms of not just the basics but also issues like health and education, which are equally crucial. How they intend to address these issues will go a long way to show how they think, what their priorities are and how well they know the ward and its characteristics," Abhyankar added. The debate will be planned once the candidates receive their tickets and if they agree to it. "If not, we will have single-candidate interactions, wherein citizens could question individual candidates about various issues and plans around each," said Abhyankar. SCF founder-member Indraneel Sadgale pointed out that many citizens are scarcely sure of the exact role a corporator fulfills. "So, we want to take the opportunity now to not only raise awareness but also see if aspiring candidates themselves understand the scope of the position," he said, adding, "Corporators are not just meant to service the wards, but the whole city through policies. They need to plan in an effective manner while thinking of the future." Elaborating on the debate idea, he said, "Our idea is to not only see if candidates understand the holistic perspective, but we too want to understand their vision. We will prepare a questionnaire and give it to them beforehand to provide time to prepare. We also have certain demands and seek assurances from candidates during the debate. Further, we are thinking of releasing a citizens' manifesto, but this remains to be discussed." In PCMC limits: Push for attention to long-pending issues through 5-year plans Vishal Nagar Residents Association (VNRA): Year-by-year manifesto drafted for clarity Residents of Vishalnagar have drawn up a five-year timeline-based manifesto for their prospective representative, ensuring that the elected candidate works with clear annual targets to resolve local issues. As per the Vishal Nagar Residents Association (VNRA), a dedicated police chowkey and relief from ‘tanker mafia' top the list of demands for poll aspirants this time. Locals claim candidates surface only during elections and disappear soon after, leaving citizens to run from pillar to post for basic amenities on their own. "This has been the pattern for years. This time, we have decided to present our agenda upfront and ensure that whoever we elect not only agrees to our demands but follows them up with officials through the year," said resident Ganesh Bomble. He said the association held meetings with representatives of housing societies and drafted a detailed list of issues with timelines for candidates to understand that their responsibilities extend beyond election day. "Our agenda clearly states that the elected representative must pursue not only civic issues but also matters related to state and central agencies through MLAs and MPs," Bomble added. Association member Anil Gawde said the demand for a police chowkey has remained unresolved despite repeated appeals. "Chain snatching and theft cases are frequent here. Residents are forced to go all the way to Sangvi or Wakad police stations because our area falls between two jurisdictions," he said. Gawde said repeated power interruptions also remain a major concern. "We want the candidate to prioritise these basic issues instead of pushing their own political agenda," he said. He further pointed out that Vishalnagar shares a border with PMC, forcing them once more to suffer for basic amenities due to jurisdiction issues. "A flyover connecting Wakad with PMC areas has remained incomplete for years. This is now causing daily congestion in and around Vishalnagar," he said. Bomble added that a tanker nexus thrives in the locality, forcing societies to spend heavily on water supply in summer. "Further, PCMC repainted streetlights at a huge cost here, but more than half of them still don't function. We want taxpayer money used wisely, and for that, we need the right representative," he said. Ravet Kiwale Mamurdi Housing Society Federation: Societies rallying to present united front Locals from Ravet, Kiwale and Mamurdi have started holding a series of meetings with housing society members and local residents over the past few weeks to build consensus and present a united front before the aspiring civic poll candidates. According to the residents, the fast-growing area has been repeatedly overlooked by PCMC officials and continues to lack several essential amenities. "There has been rapid construction in our area in recent years, and the civic body continues to grant permissions to more residential and commercial projects. But the supporting infrastructure has not kept pace," said Prajakta Rudrawar, chairperson of the federation. She said some demands, including a garden for senior citizens and a public library, are still to be met, even though residents have been paying substantial taxes to the corporation. "We want candidates to prioritise our local issues, which is why we have started uniting to push our agenda. If no suitable candidate is willing to take up our demands, we are also considering fielding our own representative, who can ensure that the issues important to us are addressed," she added. Federation secretary Amol Kalekar said, "Any aspirant seeking our votes must first share their agenda with us so we can check if it aligns with our expectations. They must clearly explain how they plan to address the development needs of the area." He said the federation is holding weekly meetings in different areas to increase awareness about elections and common issues among the residents. He said the residents' demands are basic and long-pending. "As regular taxpayers, we want the authorities to clear encroachments on roads, act against illegal weekly bazaars, and provide essential civic facilities in our area. Whoever represents us in PCMC should be committed to raising and resolving these issues on our behalf," he said. Kalekar said the civic body had proposed several civic amenities for the area in the development plan, such as a cultural hall, gardens, etc., but there has been no progress on the same. People powerPune has several large housing townships. A united front can significantly impact election results. Even if such a front doesn't secure a win, it can influence who loses. Housing societies should prepare an agenda or manifesto, and extend support to candidates who are approachable and attentive to their residents' needs — Suhas Patwardhan | Chairman, Maharashtra State Cooperative FederationBefore 1991, civic issues dominated elections. But rapid economic growth shifted the focus, and the unity once seen among citizens on civic matters has faded. With many essential services now privatized, people rely on private players instead of demanding civic solutions through elections. Even today, civic groups can potentially influence election outcomes, but only if they unite — Prakash Pawar | Political analyst

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