Civic poll shock in Maharashtra: BJP fields 6 members from 1 clan in Loha; ‘family pack’ strategy flops as NCP wins

CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: The BJP’s ‘family pack’ experiment failed in the Loha municipal council elections in Nanded district, with all six members were defeated.BJP nominee for the council president’s post, Gajanan Suryavanshi, lost the election along with five of his relatives who were also in the fray. The president’s post was won by the Nationalist Congress Party led by Ajit Pawar. The NCP candidate, who shares the name Sharad Pawar, secured the top position.Vote counting for president and member posts across 286 municipal councils and nagar panchayats, held in two phases, began at 10am on Sunday.Apart from Gajanan Suryavanshi, those who lost included his wife Godavari Suryavanshi, brother Sachin Suryavanshi, sister-in-law Supriya Suryavanshi, brother-in-law Yuvraj Waghmare, and nephew’s wife Reena Vyavhare, officials said.In Loha, the NCP emerged as the dominant force, winning the president’s post and 17 council seats.

The BJP, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress managed to secure just one seat each.The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi had earlier criticised the BJP for what it described as “dynastic politics” in connection with the Loha elections.Across Nanded district, no single party swept the polls. The NCP won councils in Loha, Kandhar, Degloor and Umri, while the BJP secured victories in Kundalwadi, Mudkhed and Bhokar.The Shiv Sena and Marathwada Janhit Party won two councils each, while Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress won one each. Although Kandhar elected a Congress president, the NCP emerged as the largest party in the local body.Officials said the NCP (SP) led by Sharad Pawar failed to win control of any municipal council in the district.