Both MVA and BJP claim victory in Maharashtra gram panchayat polls

MUMBAI: Although the gram panchayat results are yet to be announced officially, the trend shows that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the alliance of Shiv Sena, congress and NCP, is leading in the state. Congress state president Balasaheb Throat claimed that MVA will win 80% gram panchayats elections of which Congress will get at least 4,000-4,500 gram panchayats.
The gram panchayat polls are not contested on the political party symbols but on the panel system fielded by political activists and locals.
It is said that BJP’s heavyweight leaders including state president Chandrakant Patil, former state BJP president Raosaheb Danve, former ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, Ram Shinde sponcered panels gets defeated by the MVA in their stronghold. “We have accepted the people's mandate however 3 seats, out of 9 in my village has been won by the BJP with large margin,” said Chanrakant Patil.
Former chief minister and opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis however claimed that the BJP got tremendous victory in the gram panchayat elections. The party also said that BJP will win 6,000 plus gram panchayats.
Of the total, 14,234 gram panchayats, the elections to 12,711 gram panchayats in 34 districts were held on January 15 while remaining 162 gram panchayat elections in Gadchiroli and other parts of the state will be held on January 20. As many as 214,880 candidates were in the fray for 125, 709 seats and 26,718 members were elected unopposed.