In full swing.

Cityplus talks to a few corporators, out of nine in Kothrud and 10 in Karvenagar locality, to know their campaining strategy, agenda and about the voters' inclination . The fever of elections seem to have gripped the city as candidates are busy coordinating with party workers on campaign strategies and their implementation.

For Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator Medha Kulkarni, much emphasis has been on door-to-door campaigning right from the beginning. "A public rally on last Sunday was a great success," she said. New panel included 50 per cent new locality adjacent to Tathwade Garden. She distributed booklets, a five-yearly report focusing on her works so that the new voters will also know about her work pattern. Her agenda is ward development and overall development of the city. She alleged that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress of gave the city to the dogs. "The ruling party has been just sitting on many issues including Metro, BRT (Bus Rapid Transport), flyovers, issue related to hills, overflowing nullahs and ever increasing traffic. The people in the locality have good faith in BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS) that has strived for great work in the past. Saying no to encroachments near the public places has helped maintain the area neat, clean and away from immoral activities. I have a feedback that the people want to repeat the Khadakwasla pattern not only in Kothrud but also in the entire city. The party and the voters have not pardoned the rebels, who quit the party for their personal interests. I am fighting against such two rebels," Kulkarni said.
The present corporators, Shivram Mengde of BJP who looked after previous ward number 112 of Warje-Karvenagar has decided not to fight. He has pitched in for his wife Shashikala Mengde who is contesting from panel number 31 after reformation. She alleged the Congress corporators Dilip Barate are responsible for Ramnagar hutment, which has increased to 10,000 hutments dwellings in past few years. Many issues including lack of public toilets and drainage facilities need to be addressed. This, according to her, is the biggest challenge for her. "These are the people who have power for past so many years and have plans to make transformed the city into 'Shanghai'," she said.
Shyam Deshpande of Shiv Sena, present corporator of Dahanukar Colony, has chosen to fight from Paramhans Nagar. "Many problems related to residents who live on Gunthewari, in chawls, and in Gaothan locality of Paramhans Nagar and Shastri Nagar need priority," he said. He, however, did not reveal his action plans for the development of the locality. Being opposition leader of the House in past term, his seat has become prestigious for Shiv Sena.
One time BJP rebel and corporator of Happy Colony, Ujawal Keskar has launched Pune Janhit Aghadi recently on backdrop of elections. He claimed to have selected the local candidates from his party. He alleged the ruling party of misleading the citizens over metro issue. There is thick possibility that being expelled from BJP, he will eat the saffron vote bank in Kothrud and Karvenagar.
According to some political sources, few cases of violating election norms are on. The party workers go campaigning in running rickshaw when canvassing is allowed only in stationary vehicles. Allegations have also been made that some incidences in hutment localities have been taken place wherein money exchanged hands. However, this does not detect their loyalty to any party as the residents accept the cash from different candidates, saying "Hati aleli Laxmi kashala davadayachi? (Why to let the money go?").

--SANJEEVANI DIDMISHE