MUMBAI: Preliminary reports and data compiled by political parties on Monday suggested that the Shiv Sena was able to bag the largest number of seats and win in nearly 4,500 of the 12,711 gram panchayats in the state where elections were held last week.
While counting of votes was still on at the time of going to press, state Congress president and revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat claimed that the MVA, the ruling coalition of Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP in the state, had swept the polls, securing nearly 10,000 gram panchayats.
A BJP spokesperson countered this, claiming that out of 7,233 gram panchayats where the final results had been declared, the BJP had won 3,131.
In Thane district, the BJP claimed a majority in 101 of 158 gram panchayats, but the Shiv Sena called this an inflated figure and claimed to have won in 78 panchayats.