Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti Election Results: Counting Begins
Counting for the 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis in Maharashtra started on Monday morning. Originally set for February 5, the elections were moved to February 7. This change followed three days of state mourning after the tragic death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash.
Election Turnout and Key Figures
The counting began at 10 am. Out of 2.08 crore eligible voters, 68.28% cast their ballots. These elections involve 12 Zilla Parishads, including:
- Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg
- Pune, Satara, Sangli, and Solapur
- Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Parbhani
- Dharashiv and Latur
Voters are electing 731 members for the Zilla Parishads and 1,462 members for the Panchayat Samitis. In total, 2,624 candidates are competing for Zilla Parishad seats, while 4,814 candidates are running for Panchayat Samiti positions.
How the Voting Process Worked
Each voter cast two separate votes: one for their Zilla Parishad representative and one for the Panchayat Samiti. To help prevent confusion, the State Election Commission used two colors: white ballot papers for Zilla Parishad elections and pink ballot papers for Panchayat Samiti elections.
Political Significance
These elections are seen as the first major political test since the recent tragedy. Observers are closely watching the results for signs regarding the future and unity of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
In a notable move, the two NCP factions put aside their two-year rivalry for these local polls. They formed an informal alliance in their strongholds—Pune, Satara, Solapur, and Sangli—where candidates from both sides ran under the original “clock” symbol. This partnership follows a similar collaboration during last month’s municipal elections in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.
The final results are expected to define the path forward for the supporters of both the late Ajit Pawar and party founder Sharad Pawar.
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