BJP, Cong-led MVA claim victory in Nagpur gram panchayat polls

The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress on Monday claimed they had won a majority of posts in 361 gram panchayats in Nagpur, elections to which were held a day earlier.

In a press release, BJP Nagpur Rural president Sudhakar Kohale said his party had won 238 sarpanch posts in 361 gram panchayats, while the Congress said the Maha Vikas Aghadi had been victorious on 223 posts.

These polls are not contested on party symbols though all outfits back panels and candidates.

Former minister and president of the Congress' Nagpur rural unit told PTI his party had declared all its candidates after their nominations were accepted, poll symbols were allotted and panels were formed.

"How can someone claim the candidate who has won from Congress fold is theirs? The Congress had declared their seats. The BJP should have also declared their seats," he said in a swipe at the ruling party.

"The Maha Vikas Aghadi has won 223 sarpanch posts, including 137 by the Congress, 82 by the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party and two by the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray," Mulak said.

Mulak claimed the BJP has won 104 seats, while its allies Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party emerged victorious on 10 seats and one seat, respectively.

Meanwhile, the BJP said its numbers were correct as it had taken "affiliation application" from candidates before the filing of nominations.

There was a scuffle between workers of the BJP and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP in Ghogra village in Narkhed tehsil, some 50 kilometres from the district headquarters, after the declaration of results.

"The clash started during a procession by political workers. It was a minor incident and was brought under control immediately," a police official said.

Later, workers from both groups reached Jalkheda police station seeking registration of FIR against the other side.

"No one was injured in the scuffle and no case has been registered so far," the official added.