MVA claims victory in APMC polls

Maharashtra NCP president Jayant Patil has claimed the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi won a maximum number of Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMC) in recently-held polls, results of which were declared on Saturday.

Patil said the MVA- comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Nationalist Congress Party- swept his home turf in Sangli by winning all 18 seats. A total of 148 APMC seats went to polls. In Baramati APMC, NCP won all 18 seats, Ajit Pawar, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly said. NCP's Dhanajay Munde and senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan claimed victory in their home turfs of Parli and Nanded.

Patil said the APMC victory is once again an indication of people's mood. A BJP-backed panel has won 13 of 18 seats in the Pune Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) elections, while all four NCP candidates emerged victorious in the Baramati APMC polls, officials said. APMCs regulate the wholesale business of agricultural produce in their respective areas of operation.

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The polls in Pune APMC were held on Friday after 20 years. The Annasaheb Magar Shetkari Vikas Panel, backed by the BJP, won 13 seats after a close fight with the NCP-supported Annasaheb Magar Co-operation Panel, they said. In Baramati APMC, NCP candidates grabbed all four seats. Talking about the results, Baramati MLA Ajit Pawar said farmers and agricultural societies have delivered a good “judgement”.

“It’s a tradition in Baramati where we get 80 to 85 per cent of votes in every election. Those newly elected (candidates) will work towards the betterment of the market... Under the guidance of Sharad Pawar, we are doing a great job in Baramati. After the market elections, we now have the responsibility to do more work,” he said. Of the 18 seats in Akola APMC in the Vidarbha region, the panel supported by NCP won 11 seats, followed by 5 seats bagged by the BJP-backed panel. The one supported by the Uddhav Thackeray group won 2 seats, while the Vanchit-Aghadi panel failed to open its account.

In Gondia APMC, the panel led by sitting MLA Vinod Agrawal emerged victorious. In Tirora, candidates supported by BJP won 10 out of 18 seats. In Arjuni Morgaon, BJP-supported Shetkari Vikas Panel and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)-backed Krushi Vikas Parivartan Panel won nine seats each. In Amgaon, BJP –NCP led Amgaon Vikas Panel has won 14 seats, officials said.

In Gondia APMC, MLA Agrawal and Congress leader Ashok Gupta had joined hands to form the Parivartan panel against the Kisan Sahkar panel led by former MLA Gopaldas Agrawal and NCP leader Rajendra Jain. The Parivartan Panel wrested power by winning 14 of the total 18 seats to gain an absolute majority. "This is a mandate against corruption and ten-year misrule of APMC office-bearers," Agrawal said.