Maharashtra: BJP loses Bhandara, Gondia Zilla Parishad polls

In a setback to BJP, the party lost Bhandara and Gondia Zilla Parishad (ZP) polls, the counting of which took place on Monday. The saffron party was in power in both the ZPs.

Congress emerged as the single largest party with 19 seats in the 52-member Bhandara Zilla Parishad, followed by NCP (15), BJP (13), Shiv Sena (1), independent candidate (1), besides three NCP-sponsored candidates.

In Gondia, NCP emerged as the leader with 20 seats in the 53-member Zilla Parishad. BJP bagged 17 and Congress 16 seats. The total number of seats in Gondia in 2010 was 52, which increased by one in 2015.

In the 2010 ZP polls, BJP had won 25 seats, Shiv Sena two, BSP two and independents six, NCP 5 and Congress 11 in Bhandara, while in Gondia, BJP had won 27, Shiv Sena one, independent one, NCP 13 and Congress 10.

In 106 Panchayat Samiti (PS) seats in Gondia for which poll was held, BJP won 43 seats and it has a clear mandate in four out of eight Panchayat Samitis, namely Deori, Goregaon, Arjuni Morgaon and Sadak Arjuni in the district.

Congress has emerged as the clear winner in Gondia Panchayat Samiti and is ahead in Salekasa while NCP won Tirora PS and is ahead in Amgan.

The party-wise position in 106 seats is: BJP – 43, Congress – 31, NCP – 28, Shiv Sena – 2 and others 2. The polling for 53 ZP and 106 PS seats was held on June 30 and counting on Monday.