In the 59-member body, Shiv Sena won 21 seats, nine short of a majority, while the NCP secured 16 seats and the BJP bagged 15, paving the way for a BJP-NCP coalition to take control
The president's post is likely to go to the BJP, while the deputy president's post will be allotted to the NCP. Representational Pic
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are set to join hands in Raigad to form the governing body of the Zilla Parishad, even as Shiv Sena, the single largest party, is expected to sit in the opposition, reported PTI.
In the 59-member body, Shiv Sena won 21 seats, nine short of a majority, while the NCP secured 16 seats and the BJP bagged 15, paving the way for a BJP-NCP coalition to take control.
PTI sources said the president's post is likely to go to the BJP, while the deputy president's post will be allotted to the NCP.
Shiv Sena open to opposition role
Speaking to PTI, Shiv Sena leader Bharat Gogawale said his party was ready to sit in the opposition.
"If consensus is not reached and things do not work out, are we supposed to sit idle? There is no problem with sitting in the opposition. However, we are waiting for directions from the senior leadership," he said.
Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare, a native of the district, told PTI that he had met Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) and Shiv Sena president Eknath Shinde to discuss the issue. Notably, Tatkare and Gogawale are rivals in local politics.
"Shiv Sena is our Mahayuti partner. State BJP president Ravindra Chavan, DCM Shinde, and others will sit together and chalk out the road ahead," he stated, the news agency reported.
On the BJP and NCP joining hands, Tatkare added that the two parties had a pre-poll alliance, making it natural for them to come together.
Over 1,000 of 1,462 Panchayat Samiti seats won by Mahayuti
Earlier in February, during the Zilla Parishad polls, the Mahayuti won 552 of 731 ZP seats and more than 1,000 of the 1,462 Panchayat Samiti seats, according to the State Election Commission.
Within the ruling Mahayuti, the BJP led with 225 ZP seats, followed by 165 for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and 162 for the Shiv Sena.
In the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, the Congress emerged on top with 55 ZP seats, followed by 43 for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and 26 for Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP). The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena won one seat each in Latur and Ratnagiri.
Independents won 20 seats, unrecognised parties registered with the SEC secured 14, and other recognised parties won seven seats.
“With this success, Shiv Sena’s base in rural areas has become stronger,” Shinde added.
(With PTI inputs)
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