Maharashtra Gram Panchayat Polls: The Congress claimed to have won 134 seats. (Representational)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday claimed to have won a maximum of 397 seats in gram panchayat elections in Maharashtra.
The results of the elections held on Sunday for 1,079 Gram Panchayats were declared on Monday. A voter turnout of more than 75 per cent was recorded.
"The BJP has become the number one party in gram panchayat elections by winning 397 seats. Along with chief minister Eknath Shinde-led 'Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena', the joint rally has reached 478," the state BJP said in a social media post.
The BJP has managed to win the post of Sarpanch or village head in 235 villages. The Congress claimed to have won 134 seats, Nationalist Congress Party 110, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) 128 and the 'Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena' 114.
As many as 300 Independent candidates have also won the gram panchayat elections.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said voters have given their verdict in favour of 'Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena'.
"The step we took (of parting ways with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena) stands vindicated. 'Balsahebanchi Shiv Sena' and the BJP have got tremendous support from the people," he said.
Mr Shinde said people have voted with trust which is reflected in the results.
He said the state government is committed to ushering in development.
Congress candidate Mukta Kokarde was on Monday elected as the president of Nagpur Zill Parishad and Kunda Raut as the vice president.
They were elected in the special general meeting body meeting of ZP members.
The effective strength of the Zilla Parishad is 57. Incumbent Nagpur ZP president Rashmi Barve of Congress has completed two-and-a-half-year of the five-year term.
The BJP had supported Congress rebels Pritam Kawre for the post of Nagpur ZP president and Nana Kambhale as the vice president.
Nagpur Congress (rural) president Rajendra Mulak told reporters that this is a historic victory and the BJP is losing its ground.
Sangeeta Adhau and Sunil Fatkar of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) were on Monday elected as president and vice president, respectively, of the Akola Zilla Parishad, an official said.
Notably, the Congress had dominated the results of elections to the posts of Panchayat Samiti chairpersons and deputy chairpersons in Nagpur district which were declared on Saturday- on the same day of voting.
The BJP could not win even a single post of chairperson and managed to secure only three seats of deputy chairperson in the elections.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)