Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Monday claimed 259 candidates supported by his party and 40 nominees backed by the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena have been elected as sarpanches in the just-held elections to gram panchayats in the state.

Voting for elections to 547 gram panchayats spread across 16 districts of the state was held on Sunday and 76 per cent turnout was reported.