Victory of team BJP; fought local body polls on development plank: Fadnavis

Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the Mahayuti’s “success” in the municipal council and nagar panchayat polls was a team effort of the BJP organisation and the government.

“It is a team effort — organisation and government. We fought the polls on the development plank. I led the campaign on a positive development agenda, and never did I even once criticise any political leader or party,” he said.

Fadnavis said he sought votes on the development agenda, their work so far and their blueprint for the future.

Fadnavis said that the BJP has once again emerged as the “single-largest” party in an election.

Counting of votes for the elections to the posts of president and members in 286 municipal councils and nagar panchayats across Maharashtra began at 10 am on Sunday. Initial trends showed the Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Ajit Pawar's NCP and Shinde's Shiv Sena, ahead comfortably.

“Forty-eight per cent of the members have been elected on the BJP’s symbol. A total of 129 BJP candidates have been elected as municipal presidents. In 75 per cent of local bodies, Mahayuti candidates have been elected as presidents,” he said.

The BJP’s national leadership has put faith in the state unit, he added.