Civic polls: Anna Hazare stir has few takers in home district

Anna Hazare's nationwide anti-corruption campaign notwithstanding, people from his home district have voted largely in favour of the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party in the civic body elections, the final results of which were declared here Wednesday.

In Hazare's Ahmednagar district, of the 173 seats spread across eight civic bodies, the Congress has bagged 80 while the NCP got 37, or a total of 117 seats, virtually retaining their existing positions.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got 14 seats while Shiv Sena got three, totalling just 17 seats.

However, smaller registered parties got 30 seats and nine seats were bagged by independents or rebels, a total of 39.

In Ahmednagar district, while the Congress has gained control over Rahata-Pimpals, Sangamner and Shrirampur civic bodies, its ally the NCP has bagged Pathardi, while in Kopargaon it would have to ally with smaller parties to rule the 26-strong civic body.

The elections to 175 civic bodies across the state were held last week in two phases, the final results of which were announced here Wednesday evening.