Shiv Sena Ahead In Maharashtra's Gram Panchayat Polls

Maharashtra's ruling Shiv Sena is ahead of the BJP in the gram panchayat elections, counting of which is currently on. The rural polls were meant to be a litmus for the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi, the alliance of Sena, Congress and Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party.

Voting for the 12,711 gram panchayats in 34 districts across the state took place on Friday.

In Sangli out of 142 panchayats, results of 84 have been declared. Of these, the Congress  panel has won 37, the Shiv Sena won 19, the NCP panel won 13. The BJP has won seven seats.

In Parli Taluka gram panchayat, all six seats have been won by the NCP.

In Ahmednagar's Choundi village, the NCP won seven of the nine seats. Here BJP's ex-minister Ram Shinde's panel lost to NCP. MLA Rohit Pawar was campaigning here.

Voting for 162 gram panchayats in Gadchiroli, a Naxal-hit district, will be held on January 20 and the counting will take place two days later.

On 20,000-odd seats, members have been elected unopposed, news agency Press Trust of India has reported, quoting Maharashtra State Election Commissioner UPS Madan.

Besides, at least 14 Thane district villages have boycotted the elections to press for their demand to be a part of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation.

The election to the village governing bodies – considered the third tier of administration -- are being held more than a month after the victory of the state's ruling alliance in the graduates' and teachers' constituencies in the Legislative Council elections. The alliance won four of te six seats, the BJP won one and another was won by an Independent.