CYG : The Games of Politics

(Pic: Yogesh Jadhav)
Two days from now, Pune is to hold the third edition of Commonwealth Youth Games. This is one of the pet projects of Suresh Kalmadi, an influential member of parliament and administrator of the games.

The games, even before they can commence, are being known for the hectic politics played between two parties in Maharshtra. One party is that of Kalmadi and other one is Nationalist Congress Party led by Sharad Pawar, who is a prominent minister in the union cabinet. Essentially though, this is a tussle between Kalmadi and Pawar. While Sharad Pawar is helped by his nephew Ajit Pawar, Kalmadi has to slug it out with the help of his supporters.

Kalmadi was a close associate and Man Friday of Pawar for a long period. Then he broke away owiong to the 'difference of opinion.' Now, after two stints as MP and president of Indian Olympic Association, Kalmadi managed to bring CYG to Pune. At that time, Congress was ruling Pune Municipal Corporation. Situation changed last year and NCP came to power in PMC. It is trying every trick to make the games a hurdles race for Kalmadi whose credentials as a good administrator are at stake.

First, the NCP did not waged a full fledged war and instead chose to go slow in the works related to CYG. Two weeks ago, it fired first salvo and refused to allot Rs 5 Crores asked by CYG organisers for the publicity. Kalmadi camp retalitated by keeping away Pune mayor Rajlaxmi Bhosale from attending a ceremony in CYG. She was not given an invitation for unveiling of Chhatrapati Shivaji's stature at Balewadi, as is required by protocol.

The war did not end here. PMC's subway at Baner Road, which allows entry to the Balewadi stadium, was inaugurated for public. Ajit Pawar inugurated the subway but Kalmadi was not invited for the party.

On Friday, that is today, a CNG filling station was inaugurated at the hands of Kalmadi. This station will cater to Pune Municipal Transport buses. Even though PMT has vowed to ply 30 buses on CNG, only 9 buses are actually available with PMT.

If you think the story ends here, it is not so. To counter Congress move, PMT has decided new buses on CNG to be dedicated to Puneites. The dedication is to be done at the hands of Ajit Pawar on Sunday itself. And guess what? Kalmadi is not invited.