Mumbai: The results of municipal elections in various parts of Maharashtra were disappointing for the Bharatiya Janata Party. The biggest setback for chief minister Devendra Fadnavis-led party came in Navi Mumbai municipal corporation where it won only six out of 111 seats. Whereas, the Shiv Sena fared better as it won 37 seats in Navi Mumbai and emerged as the single largest party in Aurangabad.
The BJP lost Badlapur and Ambernath elections to Shiv Sena. AIMIM has emerged as strong opposition party in Aurangabad by winning 25 out of 113 seats. The Congress managed to win the municipal council in Nanded’s Bhokar, which is Ashok Chavan’s hometown. BJP got 6 seats in Navi Mumbai, 23 seats in Aurangabad, among the major municipal corporations in the state.
While state-level BJP leaders wanted to contest alone, Devendra Fadnavis insisted on an alliance with the Sena. Thus, BJP-Sena contested Navi Mumbai and Aurangabad polls together. None of the state BJP leaders wanted to comment about the poor performance of the party in the local body polls and state president Raosaheb Danve was in Delhi. On the other hand, Shiv Sena has emerged strong in Navi Mumbai by winning 38 seats.
Reacting on the issue, Shiv Sena Navi Mumbai deputy leader Vijay Nahata expressed satisfaction about the party performance. “It is true that BJP did not get expected number of seats. But we do not regret our alliance with them. Our performance has improved from 14 seats last time, we managed to win 38,” Mr Nahata said.
Navi Mumbai continued to be the stronghold of NCP leader Ganesh Naik and this was the fifth time that he managed to retain the corporation. However, his defeat in the Assembly polls had raised expectations of the BJP.
“We could have got 7-8 more seats in the Navi Mumbai. But the ruling parties and Assembly polls definitely had an impact. However, we have managed to get 57 seats with the help of five independents,” Mr Naik.
MIM Aurangabad MLC Imtiyaz Jalil has attributed the success of the party to its pro-development policies. “We will be a better Opposition in Aurangabad,” he said. Replying to a criticism that MIM is a Muslim party, Jalil said there was nothing wrong in that. “There is no criticism when BSP wins, Marathas vote for NCP, then why should Muslims not vote for us,” he asked.
MIM wins it big in Aurangabad polls
The Hyderabad based MIM, which is striving to expand its base in Muslim and Dalit dominated areas of the country, on Thursday succeeded in making its mark in Aurangabad Municipal Corporation elections by winning 26 divisions. The MIM was the second largest party in the corporation after the Shiv Sena, winning 26 divisions out 53 in which it has fielded its candidates. The Shiv Sena won 28 seats and its ally BJP, 23.
With the BJP-Sena alliance firmly in place to lead the council for five years, the MIM has decided to play the role of a constructive opposition. Meraj Hussain, MIM MLA, who was made party incharge for the elections, said that Muslims and Dalits stood behind the MIM in Maharashtra during the Assembly polls and as well council polls.
