No Chaos, No Contest... Power Seized Directly

Lokmat News Network

Chhatraptai Sambhajinagar: The election for the posts of Zilla Parishad (ZP) president and vice-president witnessed no chaos, tension, or fierce contest. Relying on precise political equations, the BJP seized power directly, with the election concluding unopposed and peacefully. Notably, candidates from the rival factions, the Shinde Sena and the Uddhav Sena, did not even appear at the Collector's Office.

Avinash Galande and Jitendra Jaiswal collected nomination forms for the President and Vice-President elections at 11 AM. After meeting MLA Prashant Bamb, who was seated outside the office, they departed for the Gymkhana. There, alongside 32 members, comprising 23 from the BJP, one female member recently defected from Congress to the BJP, four from the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), one from the Sharad Pawar faction, two Independents, and one from the 'Prahar' party, local BJP leaders finalised the election strategy.

Minister Atul Save was the first to arrive at the Collector's Office at 1.45 PM, followed by BJP City President Kishor Shitole, Raju Shinde, MLA Prashant Bamb, MLA Anuradha Chavan, NCP MLC Satish Chavan, Datta Bhange, and City President Abhijit Deshmukh.

A bus carrying the 32 members arrived shortly after. While senior leaders entered directly through the main entrance, members from the bus were allowed in only after identity verification. Geetanjali Pathrikar of the NCP arrived late, also being admitted after credential checks.

MLA Bamb and MLC Satish Chavan left before proceedings began. Heavy police deployment gave the Collectorate the appearance of a fortified camp, with barricades cordoning off the road from Chandane Chowk to the Treasury Office.

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Charge Taken

The unopposed election of Avinash Galande as President and Jitendra Jaiswal as Vice-President was officially announced. Both office-bearers were received at the ZP by enthusiastic party workers and formally assumed charge in the presence of senior leaders.