NCP, Congress to skip PM Narendra Modi's Smart City event in Pune, Shiv Sena undecided

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the first set of 20 Smart City projects with a proposed investment of Rs 48,000 crore at a major function in Pune on Saturday.

Pune: Peeved by "disrespect" to Pune Mayor Prashant Jagtap, the Nationalist Congress Party and its ally Congress in Pune Municipal Corporation will boycott Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s Smart City event scheduled here on Saturday.

However, the opposition Shiv Sena, which is an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Maharashtra government, has not yet made up its mind whether to attend the function or not, said party spokesperson Neelam Gorhe.

With the latest verbal outburst between the two ruling partners, speculation was rife in state political circles whether the Shiv Sena would boycott Modi`s function here.

Accusing the BJP of trying to "hijack" the function organised by the state government, Jagtap said he had to ask for an invite and later was shocked to see his name missing from the list of invitees for the function.

However, as a protocol formality, Jagtap plans to receive Modi at the Pune Airport, but will not attend the main function as the first citizen.

The PM will launch the first set of 20 Smart City projects with a proposed investment of Rs 48,000 crore at a major function here on Saturday to mark the first anniversary of the Smart Cities launch.

He will be joined by Governor CV Rao, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu at the event where the `Make Your City Smart` contest and Smart Net Portal shall also be inaugurated.