There was no “Anna Hazare impact” in the 134 municipal council elections, as the ruling Congress and NCP managed to win most of them.
However, there was a setback for chief minister Prithviraj Chavan in his hometown Karad, where the Congress-backed local alliance was defeated by the NCP-backed local alliance. Moreover, the biggest shocker was the results from the Sindhudurg district, where the Congress was thumped by the NCP again.
Sindhudurg is considered as industries minister Narayan Rane’s bastion. However, out of the three municipalities in the district, the Congress failed to win even a single seat in Sawantwadi municipal council, and won just one seat in the Vengurle municipal council. In the 17-member Malvan municipal council, though the Congress emerged as the largest party with eight seats, it will have to depend on the NCP’s support to achieve majority. However, there is all likelihood that the NCP will join hands with the Shiv Sena (two seats) to keep Mr Rane out of power.
In Karad, Lokshahi Aghadi that was supported by the NCP has emerged victorious by winning 21 seats. Janashakti Aghadi, which was supported by the Congress and for whom the CM had campaigned, managed to win only eight seats.