The interviews of hopefuls, desirous of contesting the upcoming civic election with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), turned out to be a disciplined affair, both for the hopefuls and top brass of the fraction ridden city unit of the party.
While the aspirants adhered to the strict instructions of no extravaganza, the leaders of Gopinath Munde and Nitin Gadkari fractions also put up a united effort.
MLA Madhuri Misal, a diehard Munde loyalist, shared the dais with Vikas Mathkari whose appointment as the city president brought about in open the fractionalism that exists in the party.
Interviews of the aspirants for Pune Municipal Corporation election, scheduled on February 16, were held by BJP in the city on Wednesday and would continue till Thursday.
Unlike Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) aspirants, those keen to run for election on BJP tickets chose to keep the process simple. Taking a lesson from the traffic congestion caused during the interviews held by Congress and NCP, the party had issued instructions against any rallies by aspirants.
As a result, the aspirants turned up with their spouses or a few supporters at the interviews held by BJP.
The candidates patiently awaited their turn as a panel of eight to ten leaders interviewed them one by one. The number of women aspirants was remarkable.
Usha Supekar was accompanied by her husband. She said she was well aware of the problems in her area and had good public support as she was working for the party for many years. Another aspirant Vrunda Vitkar said she was refused candidature twice and was determined to get it this time. She has been associated with BJP for the last 25 years.
Some sitting corporators or senior activists brought their sons, daughters or daughter-in-laws for getting the ticket.
“Almost all our women corporators are among the aspirants. Few of them want the next generation in their families to get a chance,” admitted Mathkari.
The panel included leaders from both fractions of BJP. Mathkari asserted that they were watching for candidates with elective merit and winning potential along with a good public image.
