Maha APMC polls: BJP-backed panel wins 13 of 18 seats in Pune

Though the Pune Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) is dominated by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swooped in to gain entry and a panel backed by the BJP won 13 of 18 seats in Pune with the help of rebel candidates. 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

Though the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and BJP did not have official panels, they supported different panels for 18 seats.

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.

The the BJP-backed panel won; most members are rebel candidates from the MVA. Recently, NCP had sacked its panel leader Vikas Dangat for taking stand against the party.

Dangat said, “Voters expressed confidence in us. We will take future decisions by discussing with all the members.”

As the results of the APMC election are surprising, NCP leaders did not make any official comment. A NCP leader requesting anonymity said, “Most candidates who were victorious are our members who rebelled. Hence, the victory is ours only.”

In Baramati APMC, NCP candidates grabbed all four seats. Talking about the results, senior NCP leader 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 saheb, 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, 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.

(with agency inputs)