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ShareMumbai: Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) today blamed coalition partner NCP for the defeat of its candidate Jayant Sasane in Legislative Council biennial elections from the Ahmednagar local self government bodies constituency.
MPCC spokesman Hussain Dalwai said that the NCP put up all its strength behind the party rebel Arun Jagtap resulting in the defeat of the Congress nominee Jayant Sasane. He said the Congress had adhered to the principles of coalition politics and did not support party rebel Kalyan Kale, who was contesting against NCP's Deepak Salunke in Solapur.
Salunke won the seat with Congress support, Dalwai added. He said except the Ahmednagar defeat, the party was satisfied with its performance in Mumbai, Kolhapur and Nagpur.
It retained Kolhapur while wresting Mumbai and Nagpur local bodies from the BJP. The party has already won Dhule local bodies unopposed.
In a veiled attack on the BJP, a Shiv Sena leader who did not wish to be named said the election result was a befitting reply to those who had underestimated the political strength of the Sena.
Referring to the reports of horsetrading especially in Mumbai, Neelam Gorhe, Sena spokesperson said the lure of money had no effect on steadfast loyalty of Shiv Sainiks.
Gopikishen Bajuria of the Shiv Sena won the Akola-Buldhana-Washim local bodies. She defended the decision of the party not to give second preference votes to the BJP.
"If they had discussed fielding their candidate with the Sena leadership, it could have been considered," Gorhe said. However, she did not think the election result would have any negative impact on the Sena-BJP relations.
BJP spokesman Madhav Bhandari said the party had less number of votes in Mumbai and Nagpur. "In Mumbai, we had 50 votes less, but still managed to get 12 extra votes. While in Nagpur, we had 36 votes less," he said.
