NCP scrapes past BJP in 2nd phase of Maharashtra local body polls

Pune: Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) scored an edge over the BJP in the second phase of municipal council polls held in two districts of Maharashtra, bagging 93 seats out of 324 even as the ruling party won 5 municipal council president seats.

The polling to elect 324 councillors and 14 municipal council presidents in Latur and Pune districts was held on Wednesday, with 72.18 per cent voters exercising their franchise.

As per the results declared on Thursday, the BJP, which had emerged as the top grosser in first round of local bodies polls held last month, was pushed to second position with 81 seats, followed by Congress (45), Shiv Sena (23), Independents (26), AIMIM (6), while Others, including unrecognised parties (36) and local 'aghadis' or fronts (14), won 50 seats.

Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena drew a blank in all seats.

BJP, however, has the consolation of having bagged five municipal council president seats, pushing behind NCP and Congress who won two seats each, while its alliance partner Shiv Sena could win just one.

While the BJP put up an impressive performance in Pune district, the NCP demonstrated its supremacy in Pawar's home turf Baramati, retaining the municipal council as well as the post of its president.

BJP won municipal council president posts in Lonavala, Talegaon-Dabhade and Alandi (in Pune district) and Udgir and Nilanga (in Latur district), state Election Commission officials said in Pune.

Congress bagged 2 municipal council president seats in Indapur and Jejuri (both in Pune district), NCP won Baramati (Pune district) and Ausa (Latur district). Shiv Sena won

Junnar municipal council president seat in Pune district.

While Daund municipal council president seat in Pune district went to an Independent, three seats in Saswad, Shirur (both in Pune district) and Udgir (in Latur district) were won by 'Janmat Vikas Agadi', 'Shahar Vikas Aghadi', and 'Bahujan Vikas Aghadi', respectively.

Hailing the results as the victory of BJP, state unit president Raosaheb Danve said, "Like in the first phase, the results of the second phase of polls showed that people have displayed their faith in PM Narendra Modi's demonetisation decision.

"People have liked the performance of the Modi and Fadnavis governments," he said, adding the results show that BJP continues to be the "number one" party in Maharashtra. He said the NCP could win only Baramati civic chief's post on its own symbol.