Sawantwadi water supply committee chairman Pratik Bandekar resigns amid scam row

Sawantwadi: A meeting of the Sawantwadi municipal council on Friday was disrupted over alleged misappropriation in the water supply department. Opposition members walked out and began a sit-in, after which BJP councillor and water supply committee chairman Pratik Bandekar announced that he had resigned from the post.

Bandekar had handed his resignation to council president Shraddha Bhosale two days earlier and formally announced it at Friday's meeting. He told reporters he had taken the decision because he was hurt by false and baseless allegations against him.

Bandekar said he had always tried to keep the water supply running smoothly and was not at fault. On the contrary, he claimed, he had exposed the alleged irregularity himself and ordered that the bill in question not be paid. The allegations were defaming him and his party, he said, and the truth would come out.

The alleged irregularity in the water supply department has heated up politics in the council over the past few days.

Sources: Pudhari; Esakal