Mumbai, February 9 Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated on Monday that the BJP has emerged as the leading party in urban, semi-urban, and rural Maharashtra, amidst the counting of votes for the Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.
He said the BJP has surpassed its 2017 record by securing 236 seats so far in 12 districts and winning 410 seats in 125 Panchayat Samitis.
He said the election results indicate that people have once again expressed confidence in the Mahayuti alliance.
The counting of votes for the elections to 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis began at 10 am. The Election Commission has not yet released any official updates on the results.
Fadnavis stated that the BJP has emerged as the single largest party in seven out of the 12 Zilla Parishads, which went to polls on February 7.
"The Mahayuti has emerged victorious in all 12 districts, with the BJP emerging as the largest party in seven ZPs, namely Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Sindhudurg, Solapur, Sangli, Dharashiv, Parbhani and Satara," the chief minister told reporters.
He said that the Shiv Sena is leading in the Raigad and Ratnagiri ZPs, while another ally, the NCP, has won in Pune.
"In Kolhapur and Latur as well, the Mahayuti emerged as the leading coalition after contesting the polls together," Fadnavis added.
He said the BJP has surpassed its 2017 record, when the party had won 141 seats in these 12 districts.
"According to the latest reports, the BJP has secured 236 seats. In the 125 Panchayat Samitis, the BJP has increased its seat count to 410 from the previous 284," Fadnavis said.
He also added that the BJP will win 50 out of 125 Panchayat Samitis, Shiv Sena 26, and NCP 23. "The Congress and the NCP (SP) will win seven to eight Samitis each, and Shiv Sena (UBT) five others," he added.
Fadnavis stated that the results show that the opposition exists only in the media and has failed to gauge the sentiments of the people.
"They (falsely) believe that their political aspirations are those of the people, and that is why they lose. The opposition has lost the will to fight. When they criticize PM Modi, they lose because the people don't appreciate such criticism," he added.
The elections were held on Saturday in 12 Zilla Parishads — Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, Dharashiv and Latur — to elect 731 members along with 1,462 seats in 125 Panchayat Samitis under their jurisdiction.
A total of 2,624 candidates contested the Zilla Parishad polls, and 4,814 candidates were in the fray for the Panchayat Samiti elections.