ZP: Cong’s Rashmi Barve new President, Manohar Kumbhare is Vice-President
   Date :19-Jan-2020

ZP Congs Rashmi Barve new
 Dr Nitin Raut, Guardian Minister of district, greeting Rashmi Barve, newly-elected President of ZP, and Manohar Kumbhare, Vice-President. Sunil Kedar, Animal Husbandry Minister; Dr Satish Chaturvedi, former minister; Rajendra Mulak, District President of Congress; Raju Parwe, Umred MLA; Nana Gawande, Kunda Raut, Uday Singh Yadav and others also are seen. (R) Congress workers waving party flags and bursting crackers in ZP premises to celebrate. (Pics by Anil Futane)
 
Staff Reporter :
 
Congress exercises majority, bags posts of President, Vice-President 
 
Congress party, on Saturday, utilised single-handed majority in the 58-member house of Nagpur Zilla Parishad (ZP) and got its members elected ‘unopposed’ to the posts of President and Vice-President. Rashmi Barve became the new President and Manohar Kumbhare the Vice-President. In ZP house, Congress has 30 seats, followed by its alliance partner Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) 10 seats, another alliance partner Shetkari Kamgar Paksha having one, Shiv Sena. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 15 seats. The house also has one Independent. Congress, NCP and Shetkari Kamgar Paksha contested the election in pre-poll alliance. With the Congress winning single-handed majority with 30 seats, it staked claim to both the top posts in ZP -- of President and Vice-President.
 
Till the last moment before commencement of the special meeting of ZP on Saturday afternoon, NCP was talking to Congress. For, NCP wanted the post of Vice-President. A meeting was held on Saturday morning. Manikrao Thakre, Observer appointed by Congress party; Praful Patel, senior leader of NCP; Dr Nitin Raut, Energy Minister; Sunil Kedar, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister; Dr Satish Chaturvedi, former minister; Rajendra Mulak, District President of Congress party; Raju Parwe, Umred MLA, attended the meeting. Negotiations went on, but Congress stuck to its stand.
 
A few minutes before 3 pm, the appointed time for commencement of the special meeting of ZP, Congress leaders brought all its members in various cars to ZP. Senior leaders including Nana Gawande, Suresh Bhoyar, Uday Singh Yadav, Harshwardhan Nikose, and Shivkumar Yadav, Prakash Wasu, Kishor Mire, Kunda Raut and others escorted Congress members to Abasaheb Khedkar Hall in ZP and then made the head-count to ensure that all its members were present. After a gap of few minutes, the NCP, BJP and other members also entered the house.
 
Ravindra Thakre, District Collector, presided over the election process. Sanjay Yadav, Chief Executive Officer of ZP; Avinash Katade, Deputy District Election Officer (ZP); Dr Kamalkishore Futane, Additional Chief Executive Officer; Pramila Jakhalekar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer were present on the occasion. Following the due procedure, as there was no other contestant than Rashmi Barve of Congress for the post of President, Thakre declared her as elected unopposed. For the post of Vice-President, two NCP members Chandrashekhar Kolhe and Dinesh Rameshchandra Bang, and Congress group leader Manohar Kumbhare were in the fray. However, within stipulated time, Kolhe and Bang withdrew their nominations. As a result, Kumbhare was declared elected as Vice-President.
 
Interestingly, as soon as the announcement was made, Kumbhare rose from his seat and went to Salil Deshmukh, son of Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and NCP member, to thank him. Sanjay Yadav greeted the newly elected President and Vice-President with a bouquet and shawl, on behalf of ZP. Later on, Barve and Kumbhare took charge of their respective offices. Dr Nitin Raut, Guardian Minister of district; Sunil Kedar, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister; Dr Satish Chaturvedi, former minister; Rajendra Mulak, District President of Congress party; Raju Parwe, Umred MLA, Uday Singh Yadav, Suresh Bhoyar, Nana Gawande, Kunda Raut and others accompanied them. Kumbhare garlanded the statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in ZP premises. Congress workers raised slogans and burst crackers to celebrate the occasion.
 
Shall focus on women empowerment, jobs for youths: Barve Rashmi Barve, ZP member of Congress party from Tekadi circle in Parseoni tehsil of Nagpur district, was elated after taking over as ZP President. Talking to mediapersons, she said that she would focus on women empowerment and making available self-employment opportunities to youths in rural areas of the district. “I shall keep intact the faith reposed in me by Congress leadership, through my performance as ZP President,” she said while thanking all the Congress leaders. Replying to a question, Barve said that she would not criticise her predecessors who belonged to BJP. “Instead, I shall focus on delivering a good performance in the tenure of two-and-a-half years.” she added.
 
Shall press for Rs 25,000/ha aid to farmers: Kumbhare Manohar Kumbhare, ZP member of Congress party from Kelvad circle in Kalmeshwar tehsil of the district, is not new to ZP politics. In the previous regime, he was Congress group leader. This time, Congress has made him group leader once again and also Vice-President of ZP. Talking to mediapersons after election, he said that he would focus on completing the water supply schemes and also putting the house in order as far as healthcare centres were concerned. “The previous regime led by BJP did not pay enough heed to many basic issues. I shall try to get maximum funds from District Planning Committee for rural areas,” he said. Replying to a question, he said that he would press the Government for Rs 25,000/- per hectare aid to farmers affected due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm. To another question, he replied that the people had taught a lesson to BJP for neglecting the issues of their concern.
 
Chandrashekhar Kolhe named NCP group leader Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), on Saturday, named Chandrashekhar Kolhe as its group leader in ZP. Kolhe is the seniormost member in ZP. He was a member previously too. This time, he has been elected from Paradsinga circle in Katol tehsil. He is known as a seasoned and gentle-mannered man in ZP politics.
 
NCP accuses Congress of ‘not honouring’ alliance norms Congress utilising its single-handed majority to bag both the top posts has not gone down well with its alliance partner Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Peeved over not getting the post of Vice-President, Congress’ pre-poll alliance partner NCP accused Congress of ‘not honouring the alliance norms’. Anil Deshmukh, Home Minister and senior NCP leader, told mediapersons that Congress should have abided by the alliance norms. In the meeting held on Saturday morning, he said, NCP had given two proposals to Congress for consideration. As per one proposal, NCP wanted the post of Vice-President and chairmanship of one of the subject committees of ZP. In another proposal, NCP wanted chairmanship of two committees including one from General category and one for woman. Senior NCP leader Praful Patel had come specially for the discussion and senior Congress leader Manikrao Thakre also was present apart from other leaders from both the parties. “However, Congress rejected the first proposal. We are hopeful that Congress will consider our second proposal of chairmanship of two subject committees of ZP. Let us see how Congress responds in days to come,” Deshmukh said. Congress should take a positive approach about giving NCP its due in Nagpur ZP. “For, the consequences of Congress’ decision will not be restricted for Nagpur alone,” he stressed. Salil Deshmukh, son of Anil Deshmukh and now ZP member from Metpanjra circle in Narkhed tehsil, also accused Congress of not honouring the alliance norms. “Chandrashekhar Kolhe and Dinesh Bang from NCP had filed nominations for the post of Vice-President, but later withdrew keeping in mind the alliance norms. Still, if Congress does not take appropriate decision on our second proposal, the repercussions will be felt across Maharashtra,” he said. Salil Deshmukh said that he had not filed nomination for the post of Vice-President as senior member like Kolhe had to be honoured.
 
Congress-NCP alliance is intact: Mulak Rajendra Mulak, District President of Congress party, felt that though Congress’ alliance partner NCP had flagged some issues regarding election of Vice-President, the Congress-NCP alliance was intact. Interacting with mediapersons at ZP, Mulak said, “Congress and NCP alliance is intact. NCP is not unhappy. But, they have raised some issues. In next seven-eight days, both the parties will be sitting together to discuss sharing of the seats of chairpersons of various subject committees of ZP.” According to him, the decision regarding the posts of President and Vice-President of ZP was taken jointly by both the parties. Hence, NCP withdrew from the contest. Asked about Congress party flocking its members together before ZP special meeting on Saturday and bringing them in cars, Mulak said that it was in tune with the ‘tradition’ of keeping members together for better familiarisation. To another question, he said that Congress-NCP had formed a pre-poll alliance in ZP elections with the agenda of ousting BJP from power. “The victory in ZP in Nagpur district matters a lot. For, this district has headquarters of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Also, it has two BJP heavyweights in Devendra Fadnavis, former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in Assembly, and Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways. Here, Congress-NCP alliance has won 41 out of 58 seats in ZP, and the posts of chairperson in 11 out of total 13 Panchayat Samitis. It is a great win for us,” he observed.