- Congress is logging the third-highest figures across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra
- Congress is struggling with a single-digit lead in Mumbai's BMC
- In the overall tally, Congress is faring better than regional parties like Thackerays and Pawars
The Congress has put up a flop show in Mumbai, still struggling to move to double figures, with votes still being counted for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). But the grand old party has emerged as a stronger force than the regional powerhouses like the Thackerays and Pawars.
An overall tally till 1 pm shows the Congress is leading in 171 wards across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra. Party-wise, that's the third highest, trailing only the BJP, which is at the top with 848 wards, and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena (213).
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Now heading the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Ajit Pawar has emerged as a stronger contender than his uncle Sharad Pawar, who now heads a smaller faction of his original party with subdued influence among voters.
The Thackerays too emerged as a dampened force across the state, trailing NCP and the Congress, though Mumbai remained one of their strongholds, the counting shows.
The Congress Flop Shows
The Congress' figures, though impressive in the overall tally, have no contribution from Mumbai. Struggling with a single figure, the party fails to find resonance in the financial capital, dominated by the BJP and Thackeray narratives.
In both Mumbai and Pune, it's leading in five seats. In Nashik and Jalna, it has edges in four wards.
The situation isn't any better in Navi Mumbai and Thane. While it's leading in just two wards in Thane, it's yet to open its account in Navi Mumbai.
The figure remains stuck at zero in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Vasai-Virar, Ulhasnagar, Nanded Waghala, Jalgaon, Ahilyanagar, Dhule, and Kalyan Dombivali, while the party hopes for just one victory in Panvel.
The Congress is doing a little better in Mira Bhayandar where it's leading in eight seats, but still short of a double figure.
Where Congress Is Doing Well
The Congress is at the top in a handful of municipal corporations in Maharashtra. It has surged ahead of other parties in Bhinwadi Nizampur, Amravati, Chandrapur, and Latur, eyeing control of these civic bodies in an apparent consolation prize while the BJP takes away the crucial ones.
The party is ahead in 12 wards in Bhiwani Nizampur, 12 in Chandrapur, 13 in Amravati, and 21 in Latur.
Besides, the Congress is in the second position in Nagpur and Kolhapur, among the major ones. In Nagpur, it is ahead in 22 wards, and in Kolhapur, it is leading in 23. In Akola, the party ranks second with 15 wards. In Parbhani, it's ahead in nine seats.
Though these are local body elections, the figures are crucial since they reflect the support base at the ground level and help the parties in strategising for bigger elections.
