BJP snatches Dhule, Shiv Sena holds key to Ahmednagar

Even as the nation awaits the results of the Assembly elections in five states, scheduled to be declared today, the BJP has managed to keep its winning streak alive in the local self-government elections by bagging yet another municipal corporation on Monday.

The ruling party has won a majority in the communally sensitive Dhule constituency, by bagging 49 of the total 74 seats. Earlier, the BJP had only three members in the corporation.

However, in the equally volatile Ahmednagar, the BJP will have to share power with Shiv Sena, which till date has not had an alliance with the NDA major. In this constituency, the Sena has won 24 seats, while BJP bagged 14 seats. The Congress-NCP with 25 seats is also in the reckoning if they manage Independents. It is believed that the win has come as a relief for the BJP amidst concerns of losing space in public mind.

As put forth by rebel party MLA Anil Gote, the Dhule win came against all odds. Though Gote himself had fielded candidates for 59 seats, he could get just one of his wife, who has been elected.

His son, too, suffered a defeat. He wasn't happy with the BJP in-charge and Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan and Union Minister of State Dr Subhash Bhamre. Hence, the polls had become a matter of prestige for the BJP ministers. Reacting after the results, Gote alleged that electronic voting machines were tampered with. Meanwhile, what emerged as an interesting aspect of the elections is that the ruling party failed to bag seats in 12 Muslim-dominated areas of Dhule.

Even a tacit understanding between Gote, Sena and MNS didn't work in their favour. Taking a jibe at Gote, Mahajan said, "The voters have destroyed him. Now he should take rest." Mahajan, who has replaced Eknath Khadse as BJP's main leader in North Maharashtra, had earlier helped the party in winning Jalgaon and other local self-governments.

BJP bags Loha, Sena gets Ner
As the election results of smaller local bodies were declared, BJP won Loha, which shares its boundary with State Congress Chief Ashok Chavan's native place Nanded. The ruling party has also won Mauda near Nagpur. Sena won Ner in Yavatmal and Congress bagged Bramhapuri in western Vidarbha. Risod in Washim went to a local front.

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