BJP retains power in Nashik Municipal Corporation

Nashik, Jan 16 (PTI) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday won power in the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) comfortably by winning 72 of the 122 seats.

The party had controlled the civic body in the previous term too.

Notably, the saffron party's victory came in the aftermath of an intense agitation against the corporation's plan to cut hundreds of trees in Tapovan area for a Sadhugram for the coming Kumbh Mela.

Winning 72 seats, the saffron party vindicated its decision to contest the polls on its own.

Its state-level ally, Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, stood a distant second with 26 seats, while the other ally, Nationalist Congress Party led by another deputy CM Ajit Pawar, could win only four seats.

The Shiv Sena and NCP had formed an alliance to take on the BJP.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) won only 15 seats, whereas its partner Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) could win only one seat.

Congress won three seats, whereas one Independent (a BJP rebel) Mukesh Shahane also won, defeating Sudhakar Badgujar's son Deepak Badgujar. PTI COR KRK