But, while urging partymen to gear up for Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, Pawar lashed out at the local Congress leadership for taking credit for development in the city. To prevent the Congress from taking mileage, Pawar has told party workers to reach out to the masses.

Various local leaders, including city NCP youth wing chief Sachin Taware, expressed the desire of party workers that NCP contest the Pune Lok Sabha seat citing an increased strength of the party in the city. The District Guardian Minister, while criticising the city Congress leadership, has not responded to the demand.

Addressing local party workers in the city on Monday, he said, “Those who ruled the local civic body for long failed to carry out the development of the city and are trying to relate themselves with the work being carried out during NCP rule,” Pawar said.

He urged the party workers to reach out to the people and highlight development work being carried out by NCP so that others can be prevented from taking credit. It was the Congress that opted to stay in the opposition in the Pune Municipal Corporation, Pawar said, adding, “The local Congress leadership did not join hands with NCP in PMC despite efforts from the state Congress leaders to bring the two parties together.”

The party would soon appoint heads for each assembly segment for the poll preparations, Pawar said, adding that the leaders having a clean image and commitment to the party would be given responsibilities in the election campaign.

“Those who do not work will be sidelined,” he warned.

The NCP is committed to developing the city and will initiate steps for resolving the Development Plan issue and traffic problem, Pawar said.

Mayor Rajlaxmi Bhosale of the NCP, who was present, said the entire civic development for the recent Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) was carried out by the NCP, but the opposition (in the civic body) Congress was trying to take credit for it.

NCP city chief Jaideo Gaikwad urged the party workers to prepare for the polls as the dates might be announced any time. “The party workers should be prepared for any situation during the polls,” he said.