NCP joins hand with BJP in Vidarbha to keep Congress away

In a game of political oneupmanship, Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) joined hands with BJP to keep Congress away from power in Zilla Parishads in Vidarbha region.

NCP extended support to Sandhya Gotmare of BJP in Nagpur Zilla Parishad where the party nominee Chandrashekhar Chikhale was elected as vice-president.

In Chandrapur, Santosh Kumre of BJP became president while Sandeep Gaddamwar (NCP) his deputy. In Gadchiroli, NCP nominee Bhagyashree Atram, wife of former minister Dharmarao Baba Atram, won the president's post while Namdeo Dudhbale of BJP was elected as vice-president.

NCP candidate Surekha Thakre became Amravati ZP president while the post of vice-president went to BJP's Jaiprakash Patel.

Praveen Deshmukh and Yayati Naik (both NCP) were elected as president and vice-president, respectively in Yavatmal which is the home district of MPCC president Manikrao Thakre.

Congress had the consolation of winning Wardha and Buldana ZPs. In Wardha, Dyneshwar Dhage was elected as President and Sanjay Kamnapure (NCP) as vice-president.

In Buldana, the post of ZP president went to Varsha Wanare and Pandurang Dada Patil of NCP became the vice-president post.