BJP sweeps Maharashtra local body elections

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the BJP has set a record in local body polls with 48 per cent of councillors winning on the party symbol, and its candidates elected as presidents in 129 municipal councils.

He attributed the Mahayuti alliance’s success in the Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat elections to the BJP organisation and development agenda of the Government. Counting of votes for elections to the posts of president and members in 286 municipal councils and Nagar Panchayats was ongoing. Fadnavis said the BJP has once again emerged as the single largest party.

In the multi-dimensional contests, Mahayuti allies — the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP — contested against each other in some places. There were alliances as well as “friendly fights” among Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents — the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), and Congress.

The Opposition Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) virtually conceded defeat in the elections, accusing the election commission of “facilitating” the victory of the ruling Mahayuti.“48 per cent of councillors have been elected on the BJP symbol, which is a record. The BJP has created another record with 3,300 councillors being elected from the party,” CM said.

“BJP candidates have been elected as presidents in 129 municipal councils. In 75 per cent of the local bodies, Mahayuti nominees have been elected as municipal presidents,” Fadnavis said.State Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal congratulated the party candidates who won the posts of municipal president and councillors. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut attributed the victory of Mahayuti to “tampering” of EVMs. He said the Opposition could not withstand a “hailstorm” of money.

Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan claimed the party had got a decisive mandate as voters had rejected the Opposition’s “fake narrative”.He claimed the Mahayuti had won more than 250 councils, Nagar Parishads and Nagar Panchayats out of 288, with BJP candidates securing 134 out of 236 council chief posts and over 3,000 councillor seats.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said the “overwhelming success” of the BJP was a “victory of the (party) workers.” “This is a victory of our workers. Thank you to the people who supported the BJP by maintaining faith in its development-oriented working style,” the Union Minister stated.

The BJP has won the president’s post in four out of five local bodies in Udgir, Ahmedpur, Nilanga, and Renapur in Latur district, while its ally NCP bagged the seat in Ausa. In the Beed district, the Mahayuti combine has taken a decisive lead.

The Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) claimed they had retained their party bastions in Chandrapur and Sangli districts. Congress won the municipal council president’s post as well as 21 of the 23 seats in the Brahmapuri municipal council in Chandrapur district, party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said. The BJP and NCP have secured one seat each.Recounting of votes was ordered after the Congress objected to the 116-vote win of BJP candidate Ajay Agrawal in Kamptee municipal council polls in Nagpur district, an official said.The NCP emerged victorious in Loha, Kandhar, Degloor and Umri, while the BJP won in Kundalwadi, Mudkhed and Bhokar in Nanded district.