MUMBAI: The BJP on Thursday registered a stunning performance in municipal elections across Maharashtra which gave it majorities -- or very close to it -- in eight of the 10 municipalities across the state. The party also registered impressive wins in seven Zilla Parishads apart from snatching two strongholds -- Latur and Sangli -- from the Congress.
Given these results, Devendra Fadnavis has emerged as the new star of the party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Maharashtra chief minister on Twitter, while BJP president Amit Shah exulted that the BJP won over 470 seats compared to the 205 it had in the lame-duck municipalities.
The BJP's massive victory answered speculation that demonetisation would adversely affect the electoral fortunes of the BJP.
The NCP tally has come down to 108 from 265, and the Congress fell from 264 to 99. The Shiv Sena's bag of seats too dipped from 227 to 215 although it held its own in the all-important BrihanMumbai municipal Corporation (BMC). The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has almost been wiped out as a viable alternative to the Shiv Sena, winning only 16 seats in place of its previous tally of 112.
Except Thane, the BJP has already grabbed power or is close to it in the Ulhasnagar, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune, Nashik, Solapur, Akola, Amravati and Nagpur municipal corporations, while it is neck-and-neck with the Shiv Sena in Mumbai.
In the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation, 40 is the magic figure in the house of 78, and the BJP has gained 32. There are 16 Independents and other smaller parties, whose support the BJP is likely to seek. The Shiv Sena has 25 corporators here.
In the Pune Municipal Corporation where the magic figure is 81, the BJP has won 92. The five Independents in the corporation too are likely to help the BJP. The BJP's breakthough is significant in Pune. The corporation used to be ruled by the NCP with the help of the Congress and the Shiv Sena.
In the 178-member Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, which was considered to be a NCP stronghold, the BJP won 78 seats, snatching the corporation from the NCP which got only 35. Defeat here is being looked at as a big blow to former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.
In the 123-member Nashik Municipal Corporation, the BJP won 67 seats. The Shiv Sena was considered to be the favourite this time round after a five-year reign by the MNS. But due to a lack of strong local leadership, the party could not convert the favorable situation into seats. They could get only 34.
The BJP won Municipal Corporation of Nagpur, the home turf of chief ministerFadnavis, almost single handed. In the 151-member house, the party won 91 out of the 119 seats where results were declared when reports last came in. This is the party’s best performance in the city, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said. The Shiv Sena couldn’t open its account here.
The BJP also gained a clear majority in Akola, where it bagged 48 out of the 80 seats. The party snatched the 87-member Amravati Municipal Corporation from the Congress while winning 40 seats.
Solapur too favored the BJP for the first time ever. The BJP has won 47 seats in the 102-member Municipal Corporation. With 17 Independents and members of smaller local parties available, the BJP is eyeing power here. The Shiv Sena could win only 21 here.
The Shiv Sena retained the Thane Municipal Corporation where it won 67 out of the 131 seats. The BJP bettered its tally in the city to 23 from previous 7.