A day before poll results, guessing game on in Pune
All the leaders shared the same platform. They played a game -- predict the seats - wherein all of them were given a piece of paper and were asked to write what they think will be the figure after the results.
A day before poll results, leaders from across political parties who didn't leave any stone unturned to malign each other for votes, now spotted in the city -- embracing each other, cracking jokes, pulling each others' leg, playing puzzles -- like guessing whose party will touch the magical figure in Pune -- a different type of meet that is not so common in other cities.
The leaders who were with each other and sharing a smile, were targeting each other a day before.
One can recollect how Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray did not go for alliance with BJP over seat sharing and then continued to attack BJP at every corner. BJP leaders too did not miss any chance to counter attack Shiv Sena. NCP Chief Sharad Pawar too jumped, alleging both BJP and Sena for mis-governance in Maharashtra.
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BJP MP Sanjay Kakade was seen thumping his chest that BJP will bag 92 plus seats or else he will resign from active politics.
Same was the case of senior politician Shrikant Shirole who challenged that if BJP crosses 50 plus seats, he will shave off his moustache. Anksuh Kakade, NCP leader and former mayor of Pune, shared why they celebrate such a meet in Pune and why the city is not just cultural capital, but a historical city that has introduced such a novel concept of all party meet.
Vinayak Nimhan, Shiv Sena leader and former MLA, shared why Pune is different and why he feels that Shiv Sena will have important role in forming the ruling party in the city.
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All the leaders shared the same platform and along with them, journalists were also invited. They played a game -- predict the seats - wherein all of them were given a piece of paper and were asked to write what they think will be the figure after the results. The chits were then sealed in an envelope and a day after -- the one whose guess matches the actual result will be awarded Rs 4000.
Satish Desai , social activist, said, "This time round, we have played a quiz, wherein each one wrote their predicted number on a chit of paper. Who so ever reaches the closest winning figure will be awarded the decided amount."
Young turks from Congress and MNS had their own claim, but the citizens, college students who were there at the same food joint, the Wadeshwar Katta, expressed that it's a good initiative by the party leaders, but if this the case, then why isn't Pune developing the same way these people are sharing this platform?
Whereas senior citizens expressed that whole system has got corrupt and it needs complete change for transparent governance.
It's surprising that on the very next day of polling, the arch rivals spent some time together over a cup of tea /snacks with lot of friendly discussions and leg pulling. No doubt, such gathering of arch rivals sends a positive message to their respective party cadre. At the same time, it reflects the maturity level amongst these leaders - only if they are not pretending. If these representatives stand united, then the development of this city won't be stalled.