Setback for NCP in Maha local bodies polls

The Sharad Pawar-led party lost Bhandara-Gondia to BJP and Yavatmal to Shiv Sena

Mumbai, Nov 22: In a setback to the opposition NCP in Maharashtra, the party could win only one of the four seats it held during the biennial elections held for six local bodies constituencies in the state Legislative Council.

The voting was held on Saturday and the counting of votes took place today. The NCP retained only Pune local bodies seat while Congress retained Nanded and wrested Sangli-Satara local bodies constituency from NCP. The BJP retained the Jalgaon local bodies seat.

The Sharad Pawar-led party lost Bhandara-Gondia to BJP and Yavatmal to Shiv Sena. The loss in Sangli-Satara is a huge blow to NCP as it had earlier refused to yield to Congress's demand for 3:3 formula of seat-sharing for the six seats.

The NCP leadership had earlier lambasted former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan for sticking to the demand that his party get Sangli-Satara constituency in the seat-sharing. State NCP chief Sunil Tatkare had earlier alleged the alliance fell through because of Chavan's adamant attitude. He had also questioned how Congress could demand the seat when NCP had more numbers.

The NCP backed an independent in Nanded, the stronghold of state Congress president Ashok Chavan. As per the figures given by state electoral office, Amar Rajurkar (Congress) polled 251 as against 208 votes received by independent Shyamsunder Shinde.

Congress's Mohan Kadam bagged 309 votes as against 246 by Shekhar Gore(NCP) in Sangli-Satara. In Yavatmal, Tanaji Sawant of Shiv Sena defeated Congress's Shankar Bade. Sawant polled 348 votes as against 78 of Bade. Notably, the NCP had backed Sawant.

PTI