Local polls: Oppn blames election commission, 'money power', 'fixed' EVMs for Mahayuti win

Mumbai, Dec 21 (PTI) The opposition Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) on Sunday virtually conceded defeat in the elections to municipal councils and nagar panchayats, accusing the election commission of "facilitating" the victory of the ruling Mahayuti.

Counting of votes for elections to the posts of president and members in 286 municipal councils and nagar panchayats held in two phases began in the morning.

In the multi-dimensional contests, Mahayuti allies- the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP- contested against each other in some places. There were alliances as well as "friendly fights" among Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents- the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), and Congress.

The Congress targeted the State Election Commission as the BJP and Shiv Sena claimed victories across Maharashtra.

State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal congratulated the party candidates who won the posts of municipal president and councillors.

In a terse comment, he "congratulated" the state poll body for "helping" the ruling Mahayuti alliance in the elections.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut attributed the victory of the Mahayuti to tampering of Electronic Voting Machines and said there was a "hailstorm" of money which the Opposition could not withstand.

Talking to reporters, Raut said, "If you see Vidhan Sabha numbers of the BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP and now in the civic body polls, they are the same. The machines(fixed) that were used during Vidhan Sabha are the same. Setting (of the machines) is the same and (the way) money used (during the polls) is also the same." "The BJP has set the machines in the same way as it happened in the assembly polls. They should have at least changed the number of seats they won," he added.

There was a hailstorm of money and no one could withstand it, he said, adding that Rs 150 crore was spent on municipal councils whose budget is mere Rs 30 crore.

No one used chartered flight and helicopter for civic body polls before. Here, the race was among the ruling parties and not the opposition, Raut claimed.

He said horse-trading began immediately after counting of votes. He said the president of the municipal council of Srivardhan, who won on a Shiv Sena (UBT) ticket, is being lured by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

This is the victory of "terror of power", he further claimed.

His party colleague Ambadas Danve attributed Mahayuti's win to "money and muscle power".

"The Mahayuti has bagged a larger number of seats as compared to constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, thanks to the muscle and money power deployed by the ruling parties," Danve told PTI in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

He emphasised that the poll outcome won't impact the upcoming elections to 29 municipal corporations, scheduled for next month.

"The voter base for civic bodies is vast, and issues are also different. Urban electors think differently, he added.

Danve said the prospect of alliances for the upcoming elections will depend on local leadership.

"I would like to recall that Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena had joined hands with Congress (at some places in recently held local body polls)", he said.

Speaking in Nagpur, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the BJP has set a record in local body polls with 48 per cent of councillors winning on the party symbol, and its candidates elected as presidents in 129 municipal councils.

The CM attributed the Mahayuti alliance's success in the municipal council and nagar panchayat elections to the BJP organisation and development agenda of the government. PTI MR PR AW NSK BNM