APMC polls: MVA ahead of ruling alliance

Opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi won 76 out of 131 bodies in the Agriculture Produce Market Committees elections, while the ruling alliance secured 31 bodies. The results are seen as a setback to the ruling alliance, especially for Shiv Sena. BJP claimed to have won the highest number of seats, but a retired cooperation department official said APMC elections have always been politically sensitive and parties use them to strengthen their base at the local level.

Mumbai: The opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) won 76 of 131 bodies in the Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMC) elections, whose results were declared on Saturday, as per local reports. The ruling alliance bagged 31 bodies.

In Beed district, where NCP leader Dhananjay Munde is always at loggerheads with his cousin and BJP leader Pankaja Munde, NCP won all 18 seats in Parli, while BJP could win none. In Nanded, Congress under former chief minister Ashok Chavan won 13 of 18 seats in Bhokar while two were won by NCP. In the Karjat-Jamkhed constituency led by NCP’s Rohit Pawar, BJP and NCP won 9 seats each. In Latur, Congress under former minister Amit Deshmukh won most of the seats. (HT PHOTO)

In one body, there are approximately 18 seats.

The results are seen as a setback to the ruling alliance, especially for the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said that the results of the APMCs were testimony of the angst against the ruling alliance. “It will reflect in the other elections too,” he said.

In Beed district, where NCP leader Dhananjay Munde is always at loggerheads with his cousin and BJP leader Pankaja Munde, NCP won all 18 seats in Parli, while BJP could win none. In Nanded, Congress under former chief minister Ashok Chavan won 13 of 18 seats in Bhokar while two were won by NCP. In the Karjat-Jamkhed constituency led by NCP’s Rohit Pawar, BJP and NCP won 9 seats each. In Latur, Congress under former minister Amit Deshmukh won most of the seats.

The BJP, however, has said that it has won the highest number of seats in the election. Party spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said that BJP has won 201 seats, followed by Shiv Sena who bagged 42 seats, while Uddhav Thackeray has won just 22 seats. “This proves that we remain to be the number one party in the state, be it local elections or general elections at state or national level,” he added.

According to a retired cooperation department official, the APMC elections have always been politically sensitive.

“The ruling parties tried to give the right of voting to the farmers to gain control which always has been with the Congress and NCP as they traditionally control gram panchayats and PACs. Hardly 5% of the APMCs are financially in bad health, still, the committees spend crores of rupees on elections. The political parties use these elections in strengthening their base at the local level, helping them in the local body elections,” added the official.