Prashant Jagtap, the former Mayor of Pune and City President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP), officially switched to the Congress party in the presence of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Harshwardhan Sapkal. Several NCP-SP office-bearers from Pune also transitioned to Congress along with him, providing a significant boost to the party before the upcoming Municipal Corporation elections.
Jagtap had opposed the alliance between NCP-SP and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP in the Pune Municipal Corporation elections, especially when local party leaders were pushing for a tie-up with the Sharad Pawar faction. Despite efforts by NCP-SP working president Supriya Sule to persuade Jagtap to reconsider, he remained firm on his decision. Consequently, Jagtap resigned from his position as Pune unit chief and left the party, emphasizing his commitment to upholding the Constitution and secular values.
Expressing his views, Jagtap highlighted the Congress party’s longstanding history and principles, aligning himself with the ideologies of Gandhi, Nehru, and Shahu-Phule-Ambedkar. He emphasized his stance against communalism and corruption, asserting that only Congress is equipped to challenge the BJP on these fronts.
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Sapkal underscored the ideological synergy between Shiva-Shahu-Phule-Ambedkar and the Congress party. He criticized other parties for prioritizing power and wealth accumulation through corrupt means, contrasting this with Congress’s emphasis on values of equality, brotherhood, and social justice. Sapkal welcomed Jagtap into the party, emphasizing the significance of ideological battles in contemporary politics.
