BJP & Fadnavis yet again suffer electoral defeat, this time in Nagpur and Akola ZP polls

Mumbai: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Devendra Fadnavis have yet again suffered its second electoral drubbing, this time in the Nagpur and Akola Zilla Parishad (ZP) polls. This shock defeat comes within just three months after the 2019 Assembly elections in which the BJP lost 11 of the 12 assembly seats it had won in 2014 polls. In Nagpur ZP the home turf of Fadnavis, the BJP lost power to the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) alliance.

The defeat in Nagpur ZP polls is seen as a big setback for senior BJP leaders – Fadanvis, Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Union Minister for Surface Transport, Nitin Gadkari. It is only in Washim ZP polls that the party has increased its tally 6 to 7 seats. A upbeat state NCP president Jayant Patil remarked that the BJP series of losses has begun from Vidarbha.

Thanks to the court case, the BJP had an enjoyed an extended two and half year rule in the Nagpur ZP. In the earlier civic body, the BJP had won 22 seats, this tally has come down to just 15 seats on Wednesday. Though BJP sources claim their party has won 15 seats. Political experts from Nagpur opined that the Congress and NCP retained their hold on the rural areas of the Nagpur ZP.

In Nagpur ZP, Salil Deshmukh son of NCPs Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and Dinesh Bung, son of another NCP leader Ramesh Bung made their formal entry into electoral politics. Salil won from Maintpanjra ZP circle, while Dinesh won from Raipur ZP circle.

Also Read: Maharashtra: BJP loses Zilla Parishad seat in Gadkaris native village

Here at the time of going to the press, results for 7 seats out of the 58 seats were to be declared. The Congress has won 30 seats this time as against the 19 seats it had won earlier, the NCP won 10 seats, increasing its tally by 3 seats. Like the BJP, the Shiv Sena too suffered a huge loss. The Sena which had won 8 seats earlier, has seen its tally come crashing down to just 1 seat. The other victors this time include – 1 Independent and 1 Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWP-I)

In Akola ZP elections, the BJP’s earlier tally of 11 seats has come down to just 7 seats, a loss of 4 seats. The Sena won 11 seats, 9 more from its earlier tally. The Congress and the NCP managed to retain 5 and 2 seats respectively which they had won in the previous elections. Here, the Prakash Ambedkar led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) has managed to retain its hold on the civic body, bagging 36 seats.

It is only in Washim ZP polls, that the BJP has very marginally improved its previous tally of 6 seats to 7 seats this time around. The Sena’s previous tally of 9 has come down to 7 seats now. The Congress which had won 16 seats earlier, has seen its tally come down to 9 seats. Whereas, the NCP which had won 8 seats earlier, saw its tally come down to just 3 seats this time around.