Madhya Pradesh local body election 2017: BJP wins 25 seats, Congress bags 15

Both the ruling BJP and Opposition Congress 'celebrated' their 'victories' today after results of polls in 43 urban local self government bodies were declared. While the BJP gloated over the 25 municipal bodies it won, the Congress celebrated the winning of 15 of these bodies. Independents won 3 seats in the final tally.

Elections to posts of 43 urban local self government bodies were held in Bhopal on August 11, counting for which was held today. Most of these bodies were located in tribal areas and were reserved for the community. Most of the bodies that went to the polls were Nagar Palika Parishads that constitute the third part of the three-tier urban local self government institutions. There were a few second tier bodies called Nagar Palikas but no municipal corporations.

The 15 bodies that the Congress won include Jhabua, Alirajpur, Maheshwar, Junnardeo, Damua, Saunser, Mohgaon, Niwas, Shahpur, Sanawad, Mandla, Sailana, Baihar, Gadarwara and Shamshabad.

The 25 bodies that the BJP won include Jaitwara, Athner, Harai, Keolaras, Kotma, Ranapur, Dindori, Bhikangaon, Mandleshwar, Thandla, Petlawad, Bhabhra, Dabra, Nepanagar, Chicholi, Nainpur, Pali, Bamhni Banjar, Bichhia, Jobat, Chanera, Budhar, Jai Singh Nagar, Bijuri and Shahdol.

While going to polls, the BJP held 28 of the 43 seats, while the Congress had 9 and independents had 6. After the polls, the BJP tally went down to 25, the Congress tally increased to 15 and independents were reduced to 3.

BJP state president Nandkumar Singh Chauhan claimed that the victory was an endorsement of PM Narendra Modi and CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan's policies. When asked at a press conference that the BJP tally had, in fact, decreased and that the party slogan of 'Congress mukt Pradesh' had not been achieved, Chauhan downplayed the statement thanking party workers for the 'success'.

The Congress, meanwhile, projected the increase in its seats from 9 to 15 as a positive sign of change in the coming months, especially at the Vidhan Sabha elections to be held in 2018.

State Congress president Arun Yadav said the Congress increased its tally against all odds and misuse of government machinery by BJP candidates. He also said that the CM had campaigned at 27 urban bodies of which 15 went to the Congress.

The BJP has a majority as far as the total number of urban local self government bodies in Madhya Pradesh is concerned.

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