The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has solidified its position as the dominant political force in the civic bodies of Bhandara district, securing significant victories in the recently concluded municipal council elections. The party clinched the president's post in two out of four councils, while the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) managed to secure one. The most dramatic result came from Tumsar, where a rebel independent candidate delivered a stunning upset, dealing a blow to established political heavyweights.
Council-Wise Results: A Mixed Bag for Major Parties
In the Bhandara Municipal Council, BJP candidate Madhura Madankar emerged victorious in a tightly contested race for president. She managed to regain and sustain her lead after frequent changes during the counting process. Congress candidate Jayashree Borkar finished second, while Dr. Ashwini Bhondekar of the Shiv Sena (Shinde) faction stood third.
The election for the Tumsar Municipal Council president's post proved to be the most surprising. Independent candidate Sagar Gabhane, who had rebelled against the NCP(Ajit) after being denied the party ticket, won by a commanding margin of over 1,000 votes. He defeated the official NCP(Ajit) candidate, Abhishek Karemore. BJP's Pradip Padole secured the third position.
In Paoni, the NCP(Ajit) faction secured a win with its candidate, Dr. Vijaya Nandurkar, defeating BJP's Bhavana Bhajipale by 595 votes. Shiv Sena's Pragati Bawankar finished third in this contest.
Sakoli witnessed a decisive victory for the BJP, where its candidate Devshree Kapgate won the president's post by a massive margin of 2,230 votes against Congress rival Sunita Kapgate.
Councillor Seats and Political Setbacks
The composition of councillors across the councils further cemented the BJP's overall lead in the district. In Tumsar, the BJP secured 11 seats, followed by NCP(Ajit) with 9, Congress with 3, Shiv Sena with 1, and one independent. In Paoni, BJP bagged 13 councillor seats, Shiv Sena got 4, NCP(Ajit) 2, and one independent was elected. The Sakoli council will have 8 BJP councillors, 7 from Congress, and one each from NCP(Ajit) and Shiv Sena, along with three independents.
The results marked significant setbacks for several senior leaders. The victory of independent Sagar Gabhane in Tumsar was a major blow to NCP(Ajit) MP Praful Patel, who had made the contest a prestige battle. Shiv Sena (Shinde) MLA Narendra Bhondekar also faced reverses, as the candidates he backed for the president's post in both Bhandara and Paoni finished third despite high-profile campaigning. The Congress party trailed behind in all four councils, failing to secure a single president's post.
BJP Emerges as Clear Victor
As celebrations with DJ music, firecrackers, and victory rallies erupted across the towns following the declaration of results, the political message was clear. The Bharatiya Janata Party, with two president posts and the highest overall tally of councillor seats, has firmly established itself as the leading force in the district's urban local body politics. The elections also highlighted the growing potential of strong independent candidates to disrupt the plans of well-entrenched political machines.
