In the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the performance of Members of Parliament (MPs) from Pune district has come under scrutiny. Hindustan Times delves into the five-year tenure of four MPs representing Pune, Baramati, Shirur, and Maval constituencies, examining their expenditure, parliamentary attendance, participation in debates, and legislative initiatives.
Analyzing data provided by the Pune district administration, it is revealed that Amol Kolhe, representing Shirur for the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar Faction), has demonstrated commendable utilization of funds under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD), spending 99.41% of allocated funds. Similarly, Shrirang Barne, of the Shiv Sena (Shinde Faction) representing Maval, utilized 99.35% of funds, while Supriya Sule, also from the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar Faction), representing Baramati, expended 99.11% of funds.
Late Girish Bapat, the former MP for Pune who passed away in 2023, utilized 90.06% of funds during his tenure, leaving a significant impact on the development landscape of Pune.
With the upcoming elections looming, MPs such as Sule, Kolhe, and Barne are gearing up for electoral battles in their respective constituencies.
In terms of parliamentary attendance, Shrirang Barne maintained an impressive record with 94% attendance, closely followed by Supriya Sule with 93% attendance. However, Kolhe lagged behind with a mere 61% attendance.
Further scrutiny reveals discrepancies in participation in debates, with Kolhe being the lowest performer, engaging in only 29 debates. In contrast, Barne actively participated in 167 debates, while Sule led the pack with involvement in 250 debates.
When it comes to raising questions in parliament, Barne emerged as the most proactive, raising 635 questions, followed closely by Sule with 629 questions and Kolhe with 621 questions.
As voters prepare to head to the polls, the performance of these MPs in critical areas of parliamentary functioning will undoubtedly influence their electoral prospects and shape the future trajectory of Pune’s representation in the Lok Sabha.
