PUNE - MAKE AN INFORMED CHOICE ……

Campaigning for the 15th Lok Sabha elections stops today at 5 pm and

I thought I should set the record straight, once and for all.

As I mentioned earlier, I have been at the brunt of attacks on various subjects from my worthy opponents. But I am surprised and amused that their only agenda seems to be ‘Kalmadi bashing’, attacking me and my ‘supposed’ non performance.

It is very disturbing to hear words like ‘non performance’, ‘any MP can get funds from the Centre’, ‘the manifesto is the same as last year’, ‘this is a PMC manifesto’ etc, especially after having worked so hard in the last 5 years. I can assure my worthy opponents that it is not as simple as it seems and it is certainly not easy to achieve what I have. The continuous follow up required in the various corridors of Parliament to procure these funds is mind boggling and one has to use every avenue, every contact and goodwill to get these benefits, especially since every constituency is vying for them. In fact, Mr Jaipal Reddy mentioned in the Lok Sabha that it was only due to my perseverance and persistent follow up with him that he had to release these funds. I am told that I am the only MP who has managed to get large funds to the tune of Rs 2500 crores from the Centre.

I can only say that I have worked hard to achieve overall development of Pune and to get the necessary funds and benefits for my constituency. My competition is with myself. I have a track record and performance which speaks for itself. I do admit that progress in some areas is not satisfactory, but as they say, Rome was not but built in a day.

There are some important plans in the pipeline at various stages that will prove to be instrumental in making Pune a city with adequate infrastructure and civic amenities to tide us up to 2020 and beyond!

I just hope that you will give me chance to follow them through and reach the Vision 2020 goal !

I urge you to make an informed choice.

Please do make an effort and come out and vote on the 23rd April 2009.
Suresh Kalmadi

PUNE - DEVELOPMENT A CONTINUOUS PROCESS….

PUNE DEVELOPMENT A CONTINUOUS PROCESS….

It’s been too long since I wrote on my blog last. The past week has been hectic as expected. Campaigning has been going well and am gratified to see that there are people who have appreciated the work that I and party have done in the last few years. We’re almost on the eve of the elections. It is really encouraging to see that the youth is very keen to cast their ballot and their excitement is almost palpable. I can feel it when I interact with them. And I am even happier to note that quite a few of them have been volunteers for the CYG.

Campaigning is at its peak now. NCP leaders like Shri R R Patil, Shri Dilip Walse Patil, Shri Govindrao Adik have come and campaigned for me. Shri Sharad Pawar came thrice and I am grateful to him for that. Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh along with Shri Balasaheb Shivarkar, Shri Sharad Ranpise and Shri Ulhas Pawar also came to support my campaign. RPI party workers have been working hard under the guidance of Shri Parshuram Wadekar. With support coming from all sides and all whole Congress party and alliances working wholeheartedly together, I am sure of doing well.

Recently, I have been at the brunt of attacks on various subjects from my worthy opponents. I suppose in a Lok Sabha elections this is expected. But I am surprised that their only agenda seems to be attacking me and my ‘supposed’ non performance.

It’s all there for everyone to see. As I have always maintained, development is a continuous process. Expectations, needs are ever rising and planning should be undertaken for long term. That’s why we planned the Vision 2020 document. Not for the next 5 years, but for a Pune in 2020! Long term plans are exactly that – long term, in that they take time to get completed. But planning has to start now, which we are doing in many cases. My appeal to contribute to Vision 2020 received a great response and again I was pleasantly surprised to see many youngsters sending suggestions. Most of these have been incorporated in the document…. Vision 2020 is truly a ‘Citizen’s document’. Please do visit my website to see the manifesto.

Suresh

Grateful to Mr.Sharad Pawar for his unstinted support for me

Campaigning has started in the right spirit, with Mr. Sharad Pawar kick starting the campaign with his first public Sabha in Congress house where he announced his full support to the Congress party and to me. He came again on Saturday and reiterated his stand to a packed audience after which he addressed and enthused karyakartas of the NCP to work hard to ensure victory for the Congress – NCP – RPI alliance in Pune. I am happy and grateful to him for his strong support and backing. With unstinted support like this and the hard work being put in by all the party workers, there is no doubt that we will win all the 4 seats in Pune district. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Ashok Chavan is also campaigning for the alliance throughout Maharashtra and the alliance will win with at least 40 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra. 

My wife Meera, is also doing her bit and has her calendar full!

 I am having a press conference to showcase the use of technology in my campaign today at Congress House at 3 pm. I have learnt a lot about computers and the use of the web. Words like internet, website, social networking sites, blog etc were ‘greek’ to me a couple of years back. But I learnt a lot during the Commonwealth Youth Games and after updating my website, I think I am now kind of familiar with the ‘lingo’. I do take help in typing for the blog. My team and I discuss web updates everyday and they upload the status on Facebook and Twitter and answer my mails after speaking to me. They also update the website everyday.

 I kind of enjoy the experience…. and I have realized why the youngsters can’t do without the net.  The reach and scope of this medium is fantastic!

 Suresh Kalmadi