Congress-NCP alliance shines in Marathwada

Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Mar 12 (UNI) The Congress-Nationalist Congress Party combine has registered a clear win in at least five of the eight districts in Marathwada, while the Sena-BJP emerged victorious in the remaining three districts in the zilla parishad elections.

Although the Congress and NCP contested the elections separately, and despite the BJP-Sena combine raising the issues of loadshedding and sugarcane crisis, the two have performed well.

The Congress emerged victorious in Latur, the home turf of Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, by winning 31 of the total 58 seats. The Congress snatched away the zilla parishad from NCP in Osmanabad by winning 28 of the total 54 seats.

The Congress is now in a position to retain power in the remaining three ZPs -- Nanded, Parbhani and Hingoli with the help of the NCP.

The Safforn alliance has retained Aurangabad Zilla Parishad and is in a position to retain power in Beed and Jalna.

The Sena-BJP has won total 29 seats out of 58 seats in Jalna followed by NCP 12, Congress 5, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena - one and Independents 3. Few results are awaited.

(Eds: Pl pick up suitably from earlier results) UNI