(revised CSN) BJP emerges as dominant force in ZP

voters reject defectors

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The picture of the fiercely contested battle for the 63 seats of the Zilla Parishad (ZP) became clear after the counting of votes on Monday, revealing significant changes in the rural politics of the district.

In this election, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 24 seats (1 sponsored candidate), followed by the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena with 22 seats (1 sponsored candidate).

While the BJP has become the dominant partner in the Mahayuti alliance, the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena has also made significant gains. The influence of dynastic politics, defections, and the defeat of wives of prominent leaders have become the focal points of discussion in this election.

Although the BJP and the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena had announced an alliance in the district, they fielded candidates against each other in many places, including Paithan.

All BJP candidates in Paithan had to contest as independents due to technical reasons, and all of them were defeated.

The Shinde faction of Shiv Sena achieved a one-sided victory, winning eight out of nine seats, while only 1 seat went to the Uddhav faction of Shiv Sena.

While Sillod MLA Abdul Sattar proved his strength in the tehsil, winning six out of nine seats, his staunch opponent, the BJP, won three seats.

Moreover, the BJP also dealt a blow to Sattar by winning two out of three seats in Soygaon.

Shinde faction MLA Ramesh Bornare also faced a tough fight in Vaijapur. Shinde faction secured four out of eight seats here. The influence of MLA Sanjana Jadhav in Kannad seemed to have diminished. Shinde faction got only one seat, while the BJP won three and the Uddhav faction of Shiv Sena won three seats.

In Gangapur and Khuldabad, MLA Prashant Bamb avenged his defeat in the Municipal Council elections. In Khuldabad, the BJP won all 3 seats, giving a crushing defeat to the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction). MLA Anuradha Chavan from Phulambri retained her stronghold by winning three seats, while in Soyegaon, the BJP delivered a major blow to the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena by winning two seats.

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Dominance of dynastic politics in results

In the district's politics, the heirs of political leaders have once again proven their strength. Abdul Aamer, the son of MLA Abdul Sattar; Shivraj Bhumre, the nephew of MP Sandipan Bhumre; Nikhil Chavan, the nephew of MLA Anuradha Chavan; Arjun Patil, the son of former MLA Nitin Patil; Mahin Multani, the daughter of BJP's Idris Multani; and Meenakshi Pawar, the daughter of MLA Babanrao Lonikar, have all won and will enter the Zilla Parishad.

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Defection backfires; leaders' wives suffer a setback

Voters have shown the door to candidates who switched parties for selfish reasons just before the elections. Defectors like Bharatsingh Rajput, Vinod Tambe, Chandrakalabai Rathod, Manohar Sonawane, and Kalpana Sonawane suffered defeat.

The voters also rejected wives of prominent leaders. In the Nagad gat, Poonam Rajput, the wife of former Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) MLA Udaysingh Rajput, and in the Dhorkin gat, Sunita Waghchaure, the wife of former NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Sanjay Waghchaure, were defeated.

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Party-wise strength ZP polls in 2026

Total Seats: 63

BJP - 24 (1 supported)

Shiv Sena (Shinde) - 22 (1 supported)

Uddhav Sena - 09

NCP (Ajit Pawar) - 04

Congress - 01

NCP (Sharad Pawar) - 01

Prahar - 1

Independent - 1

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Party-wise strength in the Zilla Parishad in 2017

BJP - 23,

United Shiv Sena - 18,

Congress - 16,

United NCP - 3,

Independent - 2,

Total 62