Latur Municipal Election Results: Counting Underway with Congress in Early Lead
Vote counting for the Latur Municipal Corporation elections began on January 16. This followed polling that took place across the city on January 15. Election officials started tallying ballots early in the morning.
Early trends at 3 pm showed interesting patterns. The Congress party was leading in 30 wards. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party was ahead in 17 wards. These numbers represent preliminary counts as the process continues.
Voter Participation and Election Structure
A total of 3,82,940 voters were eligible to participate in this election. The municipal corporation covers 18 wards across Latur city. Voters are electing 18 ward members to represent them in the local government.
The election results hold significance beyond Latur. They form part of ongoing civic polls across Maharashtra state. The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has shown strong performance in earlier phases of municipal elections.
Looking Back: Previous LMC Election Results
The last Latur Municipal Corporation elections occurred in 2017. That contest involved 70 seats rather than the current 18 wards. The Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the single-largest party that year.
BJP secured 36 seats in the 2017 election. The Indian National Congress followed closely with 33 seats. The Nationalist Congress Party managed to win just one seat. The results reflected a tightly contested battle between the two major parties.
Broader Maharashtra Civic Poll Trends
The ongoing Maharashtra municipal elections reveal broader political patterns. The BJP has demonstrated significant dominance in the first two phases. They emerged as the single-largest party in 129 of 288 local bodies.
The ruling Mahayuti alliance crossed the 200 mark collectively. Shiv Sena won 51 local bodies while the NCP secured 33. These numbers show the coalition's strength in urban centers.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi faced challenges. The Congress won 35 local bodies in these phases. Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) finished with eight each. This indicates the current political landscape in the state.
Recent Leadership of Latur Municipal Corporation
The mayor's position in Latur has changed multiple times over the past decade. Prof Smita Khanapure from Congress served from 2012 to 2014. Akhtar Sheikh, also from Congress, held office from 2014 to 2016.
Deepak Sul of Congress served briefly from May 13, 2016 to May 21, 2017. Suresh Pawar from BJP then took over from May 21, 2017 to November 21, 2019. Vikrant Gojamgunde of Congress served from November 22, 2019 to May 21, 2022.
These leadership changes reflect the competitive nature of local politics in Latur. Both major parties have held the mayor's position in recent years.
As counting continues in Latur, political observers are watching closely. The results will indicate whether Congress can maintain its early lead. They will also show how the BJP performs in this important municipal election.
