Pre-monsoon showers disrupt CM’s election rally in Supa, NCP’s in Nigdi

PUNE: Just as the sun was about to set on Saturday, grey clouds spread across the sky and, after a spectacle of thunder and lightening, it began to pour. The rain may have cooled the evening but the pre-monsoon showers affected the election campaign rallies of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis at Supa in Baramati and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Udayanraje Bhosale’s at

Nigdi

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At Supa, a hoarding built near the stage collapsed only a few minutes before Fadnavis was scheduled to arrive. The rally was organized in support of BJP candidate Kanchan Kool. In Nigdi, strong showers led to a brief disruption at the Bhosale’s rally. People left the venue as it rained. Eventually, however, both rallies continued after the brief disruptions.

A BJP functionary, who was present the Supa rally, said, “Strong winds and rains lashed the area ahead of the CM’s arrival at the venue. A hoarding near the dais fell backwards because of the wind. The collapse, however, did not lead to any damage. The rally started a bit later than scheduled and was concluded without any further disruption.”

In his address, Fadnavis said the Congress-NCP government had failed to execute irrigation projects in the state during its 15-year tenure. On the other hand, in the last 4.5 years, his government was able to bring more areas under irrigation with much less spending.

The CM said that only 1% irrigation project tenders were quoted above the base price in BJP-Sena’s tenure as against the Congress-NCP regime, when irrigation project tenders would be quoted 30% to 40% above the base price.

Fadnavis added, for the residents of Supa and nearby areas, this was a decisive election in terms of water supply. The government was planning to bring water to Supa from Mulshi dam. A committee has been appointed to study the project, Fadnavis said.

In Nigdi, Bhosale appealed supporters to vote out the BJP-led government that has failed on many fronts and has not taken any steps for the common people, he said.