Congress, NCP hopeful of retaining base in rural Maharashtra

Mumbai: With the high decibel campaign for the 10 Municipal Corporations, 25 Zilla Parishads and 283 Panchayat Samitis focused on the Shiv Sena-BJP, allies in the Maharashtra government, opposition Congress and NCP are hoping that they can retain their base in the urban and rural areas.

State Congress Committee president Ashok Chavan said that he expects his party to do fairly well.

An estimated 56.30 per cent voters exercised their franchise for the polls to municipal corporations, while 69.43 per cent cast their votes in the Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis across the state, yesterday.

Counting of votes will be taken up tomorrow.

"I have been travelling for the last fortnight to canvass for our party candidates and the situation for the Congress is very good in rural areas. In the cities, I agree it is tough but our party workers worked very hard. I think we will do fairly well," Chavan told PTI.

Meanwhile, NCP president Sunil Tatkare said his party will improve its tally of 13 corporators in Mumbai and do well in the Zilla Parishads.

State NCP spokesman Nawab Malik said names of 18 lakh voters was deleted in Mumbai in the revision of electoral roll.

"So, vote percentage is bound to show an increase," he said.