Congress, NCP beat Anna factor to surge ahead of Opposition
The ruling Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have taken the lead in the municipal polls held in the state, thereby overriding the anti-government appeals from social activist Anna Hazare.
The ruling Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have taken the lead in the municipal polls held in the state, thereby overriding the anti-government appeals from social activist Anna Hazare.
Polls were held in 168 towns on Sunday and results for 132 councils were announced on Monday.
The ruling partners contested independently in most of the towns. The NCP and Congress were in a close fight the councils where results were declared on Monday. By late Monday evening, NCP claimed that it was in a position to install their presidents in more than 50 towns. The Congress made similar claims saying it won more seats than the NCP. Elections will be held in the remaining towns in phases over the next fortnight.
NCP maintained its lead in north and western Maharashtra and also made headway into the south Konkan region where Congress leader and industries minister Narayan Rane lost. Congress performed better in Vidarbha and Marathwada.
Opposition parties Shiv Sena and BJP, who contested together at many places, did not perform as expected, even in the areas where they have better representation in the Assembly.
Apart from Rane, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan failed in his hometown Karad. NCP lost two municipal councils in Madha-Kurduwadi and Mhaswad, which are in party chief Sharad Pawar’s Lok Sabha constituency of Madha.
In Pune district, Sena won in Junnar while BJP’s 30-year-old reign in Talegaon came to an end.
In Konkan, Rane’s recent statements against the home department seem to have gone against him, while the NCP made its impact all the way to the south of Konkan by winning 6 of the 20 seats, including Sawantwadi and Vengurla. The Congress got only three panels. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena was able to retain the Khed municipal council in Ratnagiri.
Despite being hit in Konkan, however, the Congress seems happy. “I am happy with the results. We have done better this time,” said Congress state party president Manikrao Thakre.
Shiv Sena opposition leader in the Assembly, Subhash Desai, said these numbers are opening trends and one cannot jump to conclusions. “We have won in Ratnagiri. But what is revealing is that Rane has been shown his place by the people,” Desai said.
The Congress led by local strongman former MP Ramseth Thakur won the Panvel Muncipal Council elections, securing a majority. The Congress won 21 seats from the 10 wards that went to polls.