BJP leads in Maharashtra local bodies polls after third phase

MUMBAI: Ruling BJP in Maharashtra is leading with 1090 councillor seats and 64 Municipal Council President posts in 197 Councils and 19 Nagar Panchayats, results for which have been declared so far. Congress comes a close second with 894 seats, NCP has bagged 786 seats and Shiv Sena 598. The rest have been won by local outfits, Independents and other political parties. Results for the third phase of polls were declared yesterday, polling for which was held on Sunday for the third phase of elections in 19 municipal councils and two nagar panchayats in Aurangabad, Nanded, Bhandara and Gadchiroli districts. The fourth and the last phase of the local bodies polls covering 11 municipal councils in Nagpur and Gondia districts of Vidarbha will be held on January 8, 2017. As of now elections have been held for 4460 seats in three phases. Of the 180 posts of Municipal Council President, BJP leads with 64 followed by Congress 33, NCP 21 and Shiv Sena 26. While BJP fared well in all the districts which went to polls in the three phases, NCP recovered ground in the second phase especially in Pune district, while Congress scored in the third phase in Nanded, the stronghold of state Congress chief Ashok Chavan. State BJP President Raosaheb Danve attributed the party's success to people's endorsement of demonetisation and performance of the state and central governments. State Congress President Ashok Chavan meanwhile alleged that BJP used money and official machinery to win the elections. To substantiate his claims, Chavan cited examples of Danve and Dairy Development Minister Mahadeo Jankar. Danve at an election rally at Paithan in Aurangabad urged people to accept Lakshmi (money) before casting votes and Jankar had allegedly pressurised election official to reject nomination of a Congress nominee. NCP president Sharad Pawar too rejected BJP's contention that the win was an endorsement of government's policies especially demonetisation.