<p>After waging shadow war against each other in the election campaign, the Congress on Monday wrested the Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad municipal corporation from its alliance partner, the NCP, by winning 40 out of 76 seats, jolting Sharad Pawar’s party in its traditional turf in western Maharashtra.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Led by NCP Minister Jayant Patil, the NCP could barely win 18 seats, despite the party propping up senior leaders like Ajit Pawar, Madhukar Pichad, R R Patil as star campaigners. <br /><br />The Swabhimani Vikas Aghadi, a front created by the Sena-BJP along with farmer leader Raju Shetti-led Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana and other independents, also failed miserably in making an impact; they managed to scrounge just eight seats. <br /><br />The Shiv Sena failed to win a single seat, while rival MNS managed to save its face by garnering a lone seat. The independents won the remaining nine seats.<br /><br />Interestingly, both State Rural Development minister Jayant Patil and Home Minister R R Patil from NCP belong to Sangli and NCP is desperate to improve its Lok Sabha tally of nine seats so as to increase its bargaining power in the Centre; it is also keen on fielding senior party leaders who have strong local base like Jayant Patil from Sangli, and Chhagan Bhujbal from Nasik in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.</p>
<p>After waging shadow war against each other in the election campaign, the Congress on Monday wrested the Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad municipal corporation from its alliance partner, the NCP, by winning 40 out of 76 seats, jolting Sharad Pawar’s party in its traditional turf in western Maharashtra.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Led by NCP Minister Jayant Patil, the NCP could barely win 18 seats, despite the party propping up senior leaders like Ajit Pawar, Madhukar Pichad, R R Patil as star campaigners. <br /><br />The Swabhimani Vikas Aghadi, a front created by the Sena-BJP along with farmer leader Raju Shetti-led Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana and other independents, also failed miserably in making an impact; they managed to scrounge just eight seats. <br /><br />The Shiv Sena failed to win a single seat, while rival MNS managed to save its face by garnering a lone seat. The independents won the remaining nine seats.<br /><br />Interestingly, both State Rural Development minister Jayant Patil and Home Minister R R Patil from NCP belong to Sangli and NCP is desperate to improve its Lok Sabha tally of nine seats so as to increase its bargaining power in the Centre; it is also keen on fielding senior party leaders who have strong local base like Jayant Patil from Sangli, and Chhagan Bhujbal from Nasik in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.</p>
