Congress retains power in Amravati Zilla Parishad

Amravati: Congress today emerged as the single largest party in the Amravati Zilla Parishad (ZP), winning 27 of the 59 seats, and appears set to retain power in the local body with the help of allies. Bereft of any big local political leader, the electoral success recorded by Congress is being considered noteworthy. In the 59-member House, Congress got 27 seats, BJP 14, NCP 5, Shiv Sena 2, Prahar 4, BSP and RPI (A) one each. At five places other candidates posted victories.

Teosa and Dhamangaon segments represented in the Maharashtra Assembly by Congress MLAs Yashomati Thakur and Virendra Jagtap recorded remarkable victories for the party. Congress district President Bablu Deshmukh got elected from Ghatladki. Congress won all the four seats from Dhamangaon taluka, including Deogaon (Priyanka Dagarkar) and Mangrul Dastgir (Suresh Nimkar). Congress won two of the four seats from Nandgaon Khandeshwar taluka through Anita Admate and Jayashri Kohchad. One was pocketed by BSP's Suhasini Dhepe and the other by Ravindra Mundre of BJP. In Melghat, NCP fared well.

Of the five seats, it won three, while Congress got two. Mahendra Galwal and Vanita Pal of Congress won from Harisal and Gondwadi, while Maya Malviya, Seema Gadge and Sarla Mavaskar of NCP emerged victorious from Diya, Mogda and Ranigaon respectively. In Morshi, Congress, BJP and NCP had mixed fortunes, while in Warud BJP could not get expected success.

Among other prominent winners were Pratap Abhyankar (Dhamangaon Gadhi), who posted his third win - after quitting RPI and joining BJP - and Balasaheb Hingankar, who left Shiv Sena and joined Congress ahead of the polls. Yuva Swabhiman Party, floated by MLA Ravi Rana, bagged two seats. Prominent losers included ZP Chairman Girish Karale, former ZP Vice-President Jaiprakash Patel, ex-ZP Chairperson Ushatai Watane and Shiv Sena leader Balasaheb Bhagwat.