Aurangabad, Feb 8:
Congress candidate Saeedabi Nabi Pathan was elected unopposed in Waluj Gram Panchayat (GP) in its special session on Monday. Yogesh Argade defeated Taufiq Patel by 11 votes deputy sarpanch election.
The post of Sarpanch in Waluj GP was reserved for women of general category. Only one candidate Saeedabi Pathan was in the fray. So,she was elected unopposed. Only two candidates-Argade and Patel submitted nomination papers.
The secrete voting was held for them. Yogesh Argade received 13 votes while Taufiq Patel only two while one vote was declared invalid. Argade was declared winner by 11 votes. The supporters of winner candidates burst fire crackers and sprayed gulal.
Those who were present for the special meeting are Saeedabi Pathan, Aminabi Pathan, Yogesh Argade, Popat Bankar, Asha Jhumberwala, Rahul Bhalerao, Bablu alias Afroz Pathan, Manjusha Jaiswal, Namrata Salve, Taufiq Patel, Sachin Kakde, Vimal Chape, Ranjana Bhond, Samina Pathan, Yusuf Qureshi, Kalpana Tupe.
S V Chavan was presiding officer while rural development officer S V Lavhale also assisted in the process.
Saeedabi took her supporting members to picnic to unknown place after the result was declared. The opposite group did not have sufficient support of members for both the posts, so, they withdrew from the election.
Former chairman of Panchayat Samiti Dnyaneshwar Borkar, former chairman of Finance and Construction Committee Manoj Jaiswal, Zilla Parishad member Chhaya Agrawal, Ranjana Parodkar, the wife of sitting member Ramdas Parodkar, Avinash Gaikwad, the husband of former chairman Jyoti Gaikwad were defeated.
Saeedabi was elected from two wards and also ensured victory of her son Bablu alias Afroz Pathan.