Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday thanked people of Maharashtra for placing their faith in BJP and hailed his party's victory in local bodies as a "win for pro-poor and development politics".


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The PM tweeted, "I thank people of Maharashtra for placing their faith in BJP in local body polls. This is a win for pro-poor and development politics of BJP."


In another post he wrote, "I laud BJP Karyakartas, Devendra Fadnavis and Raosaheb Patil Danve (president, BJP, Maharashtra). Their grassroot level work ensured people place their valued trust in BJP."




BJP today emerged as a major gainer in the first phase of municipal council polls winning 39 municipal chief's posts of the 147 urban local bodies, dealing a blow to Congress and NCP in the keenly fought elections, whose campaign centred around issues like demonetisation.


Results pouring in from around the state showed the BJP making inroads into the Congress and NCP strongholds.


Elections to 147 municipal councils and 17 nagar panchayats across 25 districts in Maharashtra were seen as 'mini' Assembly polls and a test of popularity of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who led the BJP's campaign to extend his party's influence in the rural areas, where Congress and NCP has held sway for long.


Fadnavis, who entered third year in office heading the first BJP-led government in the state, had addressed around 50 poll rallies.


As many as 15,826 candidates were in the fray for 3,705 seats spread over the municipal councils and nagar panchayats, where voting was held yesterday in the first phase with around 70 per cent of the electorate exercising its franchise.


Polling was also held for municipal council presidents post in 147 places for which 1,013 candidates were in the race.


In all, 212 civic bodies, comprising municipal councils and nagar panchayats, are going to polls in four phases. The next rounds of voting are scheduled on December 14, December 18, and January 8.


(With PTI inputs)