Mumbai: The BJP continues to be the most important social gathering in Maharashtra, main with 8 out of 12 Zilla Parishad votes and 51 out of 125 Panchayat Samiti polls, underscoring that the social gathering is not only an city phenomenon however is equally robust in rural Maharashtra. The BJP made inroads in western components of Maharashtra similar to Satara and Solapur, and did moderately properly in Kolhapur on the expense of the weakened NCP and Congress.
However its affiliate companions aren’t far behind. After former deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s tragic dying in a airplane crash two weeks in the past, his NCP has emerged because the second largest social gathering, with Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena not far behind.
“These outcomes present the mindset of rural Maharashtra. First the Nagar Panchayat, now the Zilla Parishad and now the Panchayat Samiti – individuals are giving approval to the Mahayuti authorities,” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the media on Monday.
“As soon as once more, the BJP has emerged as the one largest social gathering within the state. In 2017, it had 284 seats; now it has 410 seats. I wish to thank the folks. They’ve proven religion in us and in Prime Minister Modi. In 2014, 2019 and even 2024, we carried out properly within the parliament (polls). The BJP is primary in city, semi-urban and rural (areas),” Fadnavis mentioned.
NCP chief and minister Aditi Tatkare informed the media: “(Ajit) Dada ought to have come to see this success. There have been locations the place we thought we might win however we did not and that was surprising. However successful and dropping are a part of elections. We’ve got to simply accept the mandate of the folks. We are going to work tougher the place we lose.”
Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena additionally maintains a great strike charge. The BJP maintained its lead in Konkan, besides in Sindhudurg, the place it grew to become the most important social gathering. However by 6pm on Monday, he was main in additional than 160 of the 350 seats contested.
Political analyst Abhay Deshpande, in an interview with The Print, mentioned, “The BJP has grown on the expense of the Congress and the NCP. Final time the NCP gained 5 of the 12 zilla parishads, however this time it gained solely Pune. “Final time we had 4 zilla parishads, now we’re inching in the direction of getting eight parishes and Shinde’s progress can be superb, which suggests his progress in rural Maharashtra is phenomenal.”
“So far as the BJP is worried, imports from different events appear to have labored. This has helped it develop in rural Maharashtra,” Deshpande added.
One other analyst Sanjay Patil informed ThePrint that the BJP ought to take the efficiency of its allies as a pink flag.
“It looks like the BJP has been capable of win within the rural belts, however the variety of alliance companions can be not dangerous. And it’s a wake-up name for the BJP that there’s area for alliance companions too. So, the BJP must assume, particularly if it needs to go it alone in 2029,” Patil mentioned.
“The actual battle is between the three ruling events, as we noticed within the Nagar panchayat, company and zilla parishad polls. So far as the Thackeray-Shiv Sena is worried, Uddhav Thackeray had no regard for the native polls and left it to the native leaders, in distinction to Eknath Shinde. In that sense, the Sena’s UBT numbers aren’t dangerous,” he added.
Of the 731 zilla parishads, the BJP was main with 225 seats until 6 pm on Monday, NCP Ajit Pawar with 172 seats, Shiv Sena with 162 seats, Congress with 55 seats, Sena-UBT with 46 seats, NCPSP with 21 seats and others with 23 seats.
BJP positive factors at Congress’s expense, NCP splits
In 2017, the BJP gained in 4 of the 12 zila parishads – Latur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Kolhapur and Sangli.
The NCP gained in Satara, Pune, Solapur, Parbhani and Darashiv zilla parishads. However this time they solely managed to get Pune and Kolhapur and put up a good combat in Raigad.
“Folks congratulate and salute the work of Ajit Pawar. He’s working laborious for the folks on the grassroots and right this moment’s outcomes are proof of that,” Congress chief and NCP state president Sunil Tatkare informed the media.
This time, the BJP is main in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Solapur, Satara, Darashiv, Parbhani and Sindhudurg. Most of their positive factors got here on the expense of weakening the Congress and splitting the NCP.
(Edited by Vinny Mishra)
Additionally learn: BJP’s landslide victory, Shinde’s rise, MVA’s fall—what native physique polls say concerning the energy wrestle in Maharashtra
