Four sitting and former Congress corporators joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) at a function organised to kickstart the party’s campaign for the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) elections on Sunday.

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The sitting corporators of the Congress include Rajendra Kate and Macchindra Tapkir, while the former corporators include Sujeet Patil and Kisan Netake. Kate quit the Congress although the party named him as its official candidate.

Mayor Yogesh Behl told reporters that two more sitting corporators of the Congress would join the NCP, though they have been offered tickets. The corporators who quit the Congress claim four more Congress corporators would follow suit.

The entrants to the NCP were welcomed by deputy chief minister, Ajit Pawar.

Addressing a rally of party workers, Pawar said, “The NCP is responsible for the fast development of Pimpri-Chinchwad. Due to its efforts, Pimpri-Chinchwad came to be known as the best city in India.”

“After getting a clear majority in PCMC in the 2007 civic polls, the NCP transformed Pimpri-Chinchwad. Opponents may try maligning the party alleging nexus with criminals, but citizens have strong faith in us,” he added.

On the controversial Pavana pipeline issue, Pawar said, “The NCP was deliberately defamed by the opposition party leaders. Belonging to farmers’ family, how can we do injustice to farmers?” Pawar expressed dissatisfaction over the expenditure made by candidates.

The NCP declared 45 candidates in its first list and those for the remaining 83 seats are yet to be declared. Pawar published the revised manifesto.