While celebrating its 11th foundation day on Sunday, November 26, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the city attracted various political leaders and NGOs. Among the attendees, Siddharth Shirole, the MLA of Shivajinagar constituency and spokesperson for BJP Pune, notably stood out.
After sharing pictures on X (formerly Twitter) alongside members of the Pune AAP, Shirole faced a wave of "negative" comments, with some questioning whether he had switched parties or if his account had been hacked.
Addressing the speculations about his presence at the AAP event, Shirole clarified to The Free Press Journal, “There’s a misunderstanding regarding my attendance at the AAP event. I was invited, and out of a gesture of goodwill, I chose to attend. It was merely my acknowledgment of their invitation on humanitarian grounds.”
Regarding political differences, Shirole added, “While we represent different parties with diverse ideologies, we're all united in working for the betterment of the city in our respective capacities.” He urged people to refrain from overthinking the situation, emphasising that there's nothing more to the images beyond the simple act of accepting an invitation.
Later taking to X, the Shivajinagar MLA wrote, "Despite our ideological and political differences, #Pune has for decades fostered a culture of cross-party interaction. Whether it's breakfast at Wadeshwar Katta or Diwali Faral get-togethers, karyartas across parties frequently meet & engage in constructive conversations, light banter, and even serious discussions, all with the betterment of our city and citizens at the forefront."
Responding to Shirole's attendance at their foundation day celebration, Mukund Kirdat, spokesperson and AAP leader for Pune, clarified, “As an opposition party, we invited BJP leader Siddharth Shirole, among others, to commemorate our party's anniversary. We extended invitations not just to BJP but also to other political entities like Congress, Shiv Sena, NCP, and more. Ours was a democratic event, and seeing Shirole attend was a positive development for us. We welcomed the participation of all parties.”
