Local polls: Setback for BJP as all 6 members of family lose in Loha; NCP’s ‘Sharad Pawar’ wins

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Dec 21 (PTI) The ‘family pack’ strategy of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the Loha municipal council polls in Nanded came undone as its candidate for the post of president, Gajanan Suryavanshi, and his five relatives lost.

The post of president of Loha municipal council was won by Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party, whose candidate, incidentally, is named Sharad Pawar.

Counting of votes for elections to the posts of president and members in 286 municipal councils and nagar panchayats held in two phases began at 10 am on Sunday.

Gajanan Suryavanshi, his wife Godavari Suryavanshi, brother Sachin Suryavanshi, sister-in-law Supriya Suryavanshi, brother-in-law Yuvraj Waghmare and nephew's wife Reena Vyavhare lost, officials said.

In Loha, the NCP has emerged dominant, with the president’s post and 17 members, while the BJP, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Congress have one member each.

Incidentally, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi had slammed the BJP for “dynastic politics” in this connection.

No single party has dominated the district, as the NCP, BJP, Congress, Shiv Sena and Marathwada Janhit Party have all secured key positions.

The NCP emerged victorious in Loha, Kandhar, Degloor and Umri, while the BJP won in Kundalwadi, Mudkhed and Bhokar in Nanded district.

The Shiv Sena and Marathwada Janhit Party won from two places each, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress emerged victorious from one place each, officials said. Kandhar has elected a Congress president, though NCP has more members in the local body.

Only the NCP (SP) led by opposition stalwart Sharad Pawar failed to capture any of the municipal councils that went to polls in the district, they added. PTI AW CLS COR BNM NR