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Latest National News : Maharashtra local bodies go to polls today
Twenty seven Zilla Parishads and 309 Panchayat Samitis will go to polls in Maharashtra on Tuesday, in what looks predominately like a contest between the ruling Democratic Font (DF) partners, Congress and NCP.
With the Opposition Shiv Sena-BJP-RPI (A) combine not showing any promise of putting up a fight, the DF partners are all set to have a second round of trial of strength in the State in less than two months after the municipal council polls, which saw the NCP, finish a shade ahead of the Congress.
Unlike in the municipal corporation polls where the DF partners are contesting an alliance in five out of 10 civic bodies, the Congress and NCP are by and large contesting the polls to 27 ZPs independently, notwithstanding understandings arrived at a few places at local level.
As a result, leaders of the Congress and NCP bitterly criticised each other during the electioneering.
While there was a war of words between Chief Minister Pritiviraj Chavan of the Congress and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar of the NCP, senior Congress leader Vilarao Deshmukh, senior party Minister Narayan Rane and State Congress president Manikrao Thakre attacked the NCP leaders, including Ajitdada and State Home Minister RR Patil, only to be retaliated by the latter subsequently.
As the electioneering drew to a close during the weekend, Chavan hit out at Sharad Pawar for his criticism of him at a news conference held in Mumbai earlier. As part of its efforts to widen its base, the NCP poached leaders from other political leaders like in senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde’s estranged elder brother Pandit Anna in Beed district and former Congress MLA Pushpashen Sawant in Sindhudurg district.
The ZP polls are equally significant for both the Congress and NCP, as the outcome will determine their respective strengths in rural areas of Maharashtra. Currently, the Congress controls 13 ZPs, while the NCP rules 10 ZPs. Of the remaining ZPs, two are controlled by the Shiv Sena and one each by the BJP and PWP.
Unlike in the municipal council polls when their leaders were seen campaigning in a big way, the Sena and BJP leaders did not move out much in the ZP polls, in contrast with an intense campaigning undertaken by the Congress and NCP leaders.
The Sena leaders did not stir out of Mumbai as they were involved with the Brihanmumbai and other municipal corporation’s elections, while the BJP was handicapped by the near absence of senior party leader Gopinath Munde, who was pre-occupied with handling the situation arising out of a rebellion by his estranged Dhananjay Munde.
State president Sudhir Mungantiwar, leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Eknath Khadse and his counterpart in the upper house Vinod Tawade had to confine their electioneering to their respective pockets of influence.
In Tuesday’s polls, as many as 3.89 crore voters, including 1.68 crore women, will exercise their franchise in 59,914 polling stations, where 1.38 lakh Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been set up.
Having identified nearly 7,000 polling stations across the State as “sensitive” ones, the SEC has made elaborate security arrangements for the smooth conduct of the poll.
Twenty seven Zilla Parishads and 309 Panchayat Samitis will go to polls in Maharashtra on Tuesday, in what looks predominately like a contest between the ruling Democratic Font (DF) partners, Congress and NCP.
With the Opposition Shiv Sena-BJP-RPI (A) combine not showing any promise of putting up a fight, the DF partners are all set to have a second round of trial of strength in the State in less than two months after the municipal council polls, which saw the NCP, finish a shade ahead of the Congress.
Unlike in the municipal corporation polls where the DF partners are contesting an alliance in five out of 10 civic bodies, the Congress and NCP are by and large contesting the polls to 27 ZPs independently, notwithstanding understandings arrived at a few places at local level.
As a result, leaders of the Congress and NCP bitterly criticised each other during the electioneering.
While there was a war of words between Chief Minister Pritiviraj Chavan of the Congress and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar of the NCP, senior Congress leader Vilarao Deshmukh, senior party Minister Narayan Rane and State Congress president Manikrao Thakre attacked the NCP leaders, including Ajitdada and State Home Minister RR Patil, only to be retaliated by the latter subsequently.
As the electioneering drew to a close during the weekend, Chavan hit out at Sharad Pawar for his criticism of him at a news conference held in Mumbai earlier. As part of its efforts to widen its base, the NCP poached leaders from other political leaders like in senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde’s estranged elder brother Pandit Anna in Beed district and former Congress MLA Pushpashen Sawant in Sindhudurg district.
The ZP polls are equally significant for both the Congress and NCP, as the outcome will determine their respective strengths in rural areas of Maharashtra. Currently, the Congress controls 13 ZPs, while the NCP rules 10 ZPs. Of the remaining ZPs, two are controlled by the Shiv Sena and one each by the BJP and PWP.
Unlike in the municipal council polls when their leaders were seen campaigning in a big way, the Sena and BJP leaders did not move out much in the ZP polls, in contrast with an intense campaigning undertaken by the Congress and NCP leaders.
The Sena leaders did not stir out of Mumbai as they were involved with the Brihanmumbai and other municipal corporation’s elections, while the BJP was handicapped by the near absence of senior party leader Gopinath Munde, who was pre-occupied with handling the situation arising out of a rebellion by his estranged Dhananjay Munde.
State president Sudhir Mungantiwar, leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Eknath Khadse and his counterpart in the upper house Vinod Tawade had to confine their electioneering to their respective pockets of influence.
In Tuesday’s polls, as many as 3.89 crore voters, including 1.68 crore women, will exercise their franchise in 59,914 polling stations, where 1.38 lakh Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been set up.
Having identified nearly 7,000 polling stations across the State as “sensitive” ones, the SEC has made elaborate security arrangements for the smooth conduct of the poll.
