Mumbai: ‘Once bitten, twice shy’ does not seem to be working for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Despite facing flak for its exaggerated claims of wins in the first phase of gram panchayat polls in the State, the party continued to make similar claims on Tuesday, in the second and last phase of the polls.
Elections were held to 3,666 panchayats in the second phase on Monday, and the counting was on Tuesday.
The Hindu had reported last week on how these polls are being conducted on apolitical lines without party symbols, and it is impossible to claim victory for any party.
State Election Commissioner J.S. Saharia too had confirmed that the the commission releases only the list of winning candidates without the names of parties.
“As per the data available till late evening, the party has surely won over 1,000 sarpanch posts. The BJP has won the largest number of gram panchayats. Picture will be clear once the results are out,” said BJP’s Maharashtra chief Raosaheb Danve.
In an attempt to showcase the party’s increasing popularity in areas till now out of reach, especially in western Maharashtra, Mr. Danve said Kolhapur, Sangli, and Solapur have added immensely to the growing strength.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while interacting with reporters at his official residence, Varsha, said his party has won maximum number of sarpanch posts, and this will be clear when the BJP holds a sarpanch conference next month. The government had introduced an amendment allowing direct election of sarpanches.
Congress spokesperson Raju Waghmare said the BJP is master of faking information. “The party has lost everywhere in the State. The Congress rather has gained immensely in these elections, surpassing the BJP.”
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Ashok Chavan said the BJP is making such claims only to hide its incompetence. “The winning candidates follow the Congress’ ideology and our party has emerged the largest party.”
