Maharashtra local body poll verdict: In Marathwada, Dhananjay Munde finds redemption, Ashok Chavan struggles

CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: On Sunday, the local civic body polls in Marathwada produced mixed results for prominent regional politicians.

In Beed district's Parli, NCP-BJP alliance won 25 of the 35 corporator seats, with an NCP candidate elected municipal council president. The victory marked political redemption for local NCP MLA Dhananjay Munde, who had stepped down as a minister after his close aide Valmik Karad was named the prime accused in the Massajog sarpanch murder case.




Campaigning for his first election since resigning, Munde called the win "a tight slap for all those who defamed my hometown." After the result, Dhananjay Munde said the outcome had "shown the opposition their place, and they should stay within their limits in the future."

In Parbhani's Gangakhed, Dhananjay's sister Urmila Kendre secured the municipal council president post, despite campaign that featured personal attacks on her brother. BJP cabinet minister Pankaja Munde, who led the party's campaign in Beed, saw success in Georai and Ambajogai in addition to Parli. In the Beed Municipal Council, BJP won 15 corporator seats in its best-ever performance and narrowly lost president's post.

Across the Nanded district, BJP prevailed at Bhokar, Kundalwadi and Mudkhed but underperformed elsewhere. BJP's rival NCP also won three councils, while Shiv Sena and Congress secured two apiece. The newly formed Marathwada Janhit Party won two councils and Sena (UBT) one. Former chief minister Ashok Chavan, who came under scrutiny following BJP's defeat in the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, attributed the results to a lack of coordination.

"We need to get details for every poll. The respective local party MLAs were given the responsibility of elections in their areas. We all will meet soon," he said, expressing satisfaction over general outcomes.

Santosh Kulkarni, elected president of Biloli civic body for Marathwada Janhit Party, said he was ready to work under Chavan's leadership.

In Parbhani's Jintur, BJP defeated Shiv Sena, with minister of state Meghana Bordikar credited for the success. In Hingoli district, Sena MLA Santosh Bangar secured victories at Hingoli and Kalamnuri, and his sister-in-law Rekha became president of Hingoli Municipal Council.

In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, sitting BJP MLAs Prashant Bamb of Gangapur and Anuradha Chavan of Phulambri failed to influence polls.

Sillod Sena MLA Abdul Sattar and Paithan MLA Vilas Bhumare each secured one council. Of the seven councils, Sena and Congress won two each, while NCP, BJP and Sena (UBT) each claimed one. In Latur, BJP won four municipal council presidencies, and NCP triumphed at Ausa, the constituency of BJP MLA Abhimanyu Pawar.

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