The results of the Maharashtra Gram Panchayat elections have been announced, revealing that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a significant victory. According to the preliminary results, the BJP has emerged as the top party in the state's Gram Panchayat elections, having already claimed victory in 724 seats.
In addition to the BJP, its allies, the Shiv Sena's Shinde group and the NCP's Ajit group, have also made substantial gains, with 263 and 412 seats secured, respectively. It's important to note that these Gram Panchayat elections involved a total of 2359 Gram Panchayats and saw a voter turnout of 74%.
Notable contest in Baramati Taluka
A particularly interesting contest was witnessed in Baramati Taluka, where the results for 32 Gram Panchayats were declared. Among these, one Gram Panchayat was elected uncontested, while voting took place for the remaining 31 Gram Panchayats yesterday.
In Baramati, Ajit Pawar's group has achieved an impressive victory, securing power in 29 out of the 31 contested Gram Panchayats. The other two seats were won by BJP candidates.
This victory comes after extensive discussions following the NCP's split. Many speculated about the level of support for Ajit Pawar's leadership in Baramati Taluka, but the Gram Panchayat results make it clear that the public has backed Ajit Pawar's group, which secured an uncontested win in Baramati.
'Opposition doesn't even account for 50% of the votes'
Chhagan Bhujbal, an NCP leader, stated that the ongoing results show the BJP in the lead, followed by Ajit Pawar's NCP group and then the Shiv Sena's Shinde group. He emphasised that even combined, the opposition does not have the support of at least 50% of the votes.
Showing gratitude to the people: Shrikant Shinde
Shrikant Shinde, son of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, expressed gratitude to the people for their trust, emphasising that the victory is a result of the public's faith. He highlighted the welfare schemes implemented by the government, which have garnered support from the people.
Shrikant Shinde further pointed out that the Thackeray government had previously confined Shiv Sena to Mumbai and the surrounding areas, but under Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's leadership, the party has expanded its reach to every village. Despite having fewer legislators in the places where elections were held, the party performed well. The people have chosen the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition.
Also read | Eknath Khadse suffers heart attack, NCP chief Sharad Pawar meets him in hospital
