Latur: BJP state president Ravindra Chavan’s controversial remark on late Congress stalwart and late former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh helped the Congress party to emerge as victorious in the Latur Municipal Corporation poll. However, the Congress has secured 43 seats, followed by the BJP-22, VBA-4, NCP (AP)-01, NCP (SP)-00, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde)-00, Shiv Sena (UBT)-00, and AIMIM-00.
The civic poll was held on Thursday for 70 seats from the total 18 wards in the city. A total of 359 candidates were in the fray for the election. BJP had fielded 70 candidates, while Congress and VBA had 70 candidates, followed by NCP (AP)-61, NCP (SP)-15, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde)-10, Shiv Sena (UBT)-06, and AIMIM-09. The counting of the votes was completed in the afternoon.
Addressing party workers during a poll campaign rally, Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan said memories of the late Vilasrao Deshmukh would be "wiped out" from his hometown, Latur.
His remarks had drawn sharp criticism from citizens and all political parties across the state. After his remark, CM Devendra Fadnavis clarified, and other leaders from opposition parties protested. Therefore, the whole state kept an eye on the result of the Latur civic poll, where finally Congress recorded its victory.
The Latur Municipal Corporation elections on Tuesday delivered a decisive verdict on the political standing of former mayors. Of the five mayors since the corporation’s formation, four were in the fray this time.
Congress’s first mayor, Smita Khanapure, suffered a major setback, losing to BJP spokesperson Prerana Honrao, marking a significant blow for the Congress.
Ex-Congress mayor Vikrant Gojamgunde, who quit the Congress ahead of civic polls to join the NCP (Ajit Pawar), won from Ward No. 5 with 4,729 votes.
Remaining loyal to the Congress, former mayor Deepak Sul retained his influence by winning Ward No. 10 with 5,451 votes.
Contesting from Ward No. 15 on a Congress ticket, Smita Khanapure was defeated by the BJP’s Prerana Honrao, who secured 4,245 votes, dealing a serious setback to the party.
Former BJP mayor Suresh Pawar, contesting from Ward No. 6 on the Shiv Sena ticket led by Shinde after stints with the BJP and NCP, lost to the BJP’s candidate.
