Municipal elections: BJP looks to retain Jalgaon; leads by one seat in Sangli

Counting of votes for the 78-member Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad Municipal Corporation (SMKMC) and the 75-member Jalgaon Municipal Corporation (JMC) are underway and results are expected to be declared soon.

There is  a three-way fight between Congress, Shiv Sena and BJP.

The BJP and the Shiv Sena are in alliance in Jalgaon, while the BJP is going alone in Sangli. The NCP and Congress have a pre-poll alliance in Jalgaon, while the NCP and Congress have come together against the BJP in Sangli.

In early trends, the BJP and Sena were leading in Jalgaon, while the Congress was leading in Sangli.

Polling began at 7:30 am on Wednesday for elections to two municipal corporations in Maharashtra, where 754 candidates are vying for 153 seats. Polling is being held for the 78-member Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad Municipal Corporation (SMKMC) in Western Maharashtra and the 75-member Jalgaon Municipal Corporation (JMC) in North Maharashtra.

The two cities have a cumulative voter population of 7,89,251. As many as 1,013 polling booths have been set up and 5,792 election staff deployed on duty in the two cities, according to State Election Commissioner J S Saharia. Polling is also taking place for ward number 97 of the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation. The voting will continue 5.30 pm and the counting will be taken up on August 3. As many as 451 candidates are in fray for 78 seats in the SMKMC, while 303 nominees will vie for 75 seats in Jalgaon. Sangli has 4,24,179 eligible voters, while their number is 3,65,072 in Jalgaon. The Ruling BJP-Shiv Sena have joined hands for the JMC, while the BJP is going it alone in the SMKMC.

Here are updates

Aug 3, 2018: 2.45 pm 

The BJP is now leading on 29 wards in Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad Municipal Corporation. The Congress-NCP struggle with leads on 27 wards. Others are leading on 2 in the Mahanagar Palika.

Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM won three seats in Jalgaon Mahanagar Palika elections. Meanwhile, the BJP has maintained its lead on at least 57 seats.

Aug 3, 2018: 1.45 pm 

BJP has now overtaken the Cong-NCP combine in Sangli with 23 seats. Earlier, the Cong-NCP alliance was leading with 33 seats, but is now leading in 22

Aug 3, 2018: 12.45 pm 

In Sangli, the Cong-NCP combine has 33 out of 78 seats. The BJP, meanwhile is ahead on 13 seats.

Aug 3, 2018: 12.20 pm 

The BJP has zoomed ahead in Jalgaon with leads in 57 out of 70 seats. The Shiv Sena leads on 14 seats, while the Congress and NCP are trailing in all 75 seats

Meanwhile in Sangli, the Congress-NCP alliance has secured lead on 22 seats, whereas the BJP is ahead on just 9 seats 

Aug 3, 2018: 12.00 pm 

The Congress-NCP combine is leading on 20 seats, whereas the BJP is ahead on 12 seats, which is still a boost for the party as it failed to win a single seat in the last municipal elections in the region.

Aug 3, 2018: 11.40 am: 

It looks like the BJP is all set to sweep the Jalgaon seat. As of now, the saffron party is leading on 30 out of the 75 seats, while ally Shiv Sena is ahead with 22 seatsAug 3, 2018: 11.23 am: 

Aug 3, 2018: 11.25 am: 

In Jalgaon, the BJP has extended its lead to 8 seats. The Shiv Sena meanwhile is leading in four seats.

In Sangli, this is what early trends show

Aug 3, 2018: 11.03 am: 

In Sangli: The BJP has taken lead in 7 seats, whereas the Congress is ahead on 4 seats in the Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad Municipal Corporation election. The NCP too is leading on 4 seats.

Aug 3, 2018: 10.54 am: 

In Sangli: The Congress is leading in four seats of ward number 15 and three seats in ward number 10. The BJP is ahead in one seat of ward number 10.

In Jalgaon: The BJP is leading on three seats, while the Shiv Sena is ahead on two seats. The two parties have formed an informal alliance for the civic polls. 

The Jalgaon Municipal Corporation election results are important for the BJP and Girish Mahajan, who forged an alliance between the BJP and the Shiv Sena for the JMC election at a time when the two parties are at loggerheads over several issues in the state.