BJP emerges overall leader in Vidarbha civic polls

THE last leg of municipal polls in Vidarbha spelled good news for pro-vidarbha statehood activists, with Vidarbha Maza Party winning the Katol municipal council as well as municipal chief’s post.

The elections saw the BJP emerging as overall leading party, with 7 out of 11 municipal chiefs elected being from the party and 5 municipal councils being won by it.

The party won five municipal councils in Nagpur and Gondia districts. It also won municipal council president’s post in Kalmeshwar and Tiroda. The Congress emerged the single biggest party in Kamptee in Nagpur district.

Vidarbha Maza was launched a few months ago by Rajkumar Tirpude, son of former deputy CM late Nasikrao Tirpude. Rajkumar Tirpude told The Indian Express, “Our victory in Katol is clearly a mandate in favour of Vidarbha statehood.”

The mandate across Maharashtra in the four phases of municipal council elections across Maharashtra gave the BJP a clear march over others. The BJP consolidated its lead, taking the total tally to 78 for council presidents and cornering 1207 council seats. Alliance partner Shiv Sena was reduced to number four position and Congress-ncp, which held an edge five years ago, had to take a backseat.

In a statement, BJP state president Raosaheb Danve said, “For the first time the BJP has crossed the 1000 mark in the municipal council seats. The result is a mandate for good governance and development work of PM Narendra Modi and CM Devendra Fadnavis.”