Pune: The opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) received a big jolt on Wednesday as Municipal Commissioner Kunal Kumar disqualified the NCP corporator from Dhankawadi, Kishor Dhankawade, after his OBC certificate was declared invalid by the office of District Caste Certificate Verification Committee.

Dhankawade got elected from Dhankawadi-Ambegaon Pathar ward on the NCP ticket from the seat reserved for OBC category. But his ‘Kunbi’ caste certificate claim was declared invalid and the office of the assistant returning officer for the PMC elections in Dhankawadi was informed about the invalid certificate for further procedure.  

After the civic elections in February this year, Mrunal Dhole Patil, a resident of Dhole Patil Road, approached the office of District Caste Certificate Verification Committee challenging the caste certificates of 18 elected PMC corporators including former mayor Dattatraya Dhankawade and opposition party leader Chetan Tupe who submitted the OBC certificate to the election office of the PMC.

However, with one member getting disqualified, the NCP’s tally in the PMC remains 38.