BJP registers victory in civic polls in Chhattisgarh

BJP registered victory in the Bhilai-Charoda municipal corporation and Sarangarh municipal council polls on Friday putting to rest speculation that demonetisation would impact party's prospects in the recently held civic elections in Chhattisgarh.

"BJP's nominee Chandrakanta Mandle won the mayor's seat in Bhilai-Charoda, defeating Congress candidate Jyoti Banjare by a margin of 4922 votes," a state election official told PTI. Mandle received 27,184 votes followed by Banjare in the second position of the tally with 22,262 votes, he added.

Likewise, BJP's Amit Agrawal defeated Congress' Suraj Tiwari for the post of president of Sarangarh Municipal Council by 1096 votes. Agrawal secured 6221 votes, while Tiwari got 5125 votes.

The voting for the local body election was held on December 27, counting for which was held today. BJP put up a good show in Bhilai-Charoda winning 16 out of 40 wards (for corporators) while the main Opposition Congress managed to get 13 and remaining 11 went to independent candidates.

Besides, BJP also won byelection held in four wards for corporators and Independent candidates emerged victorious in 2 wards (by-poll).

"The victory clearly indicates that it is peoples' stamp of approval for demonetisation decision of Prime Minister. It is also a signal that people of the state will bring BJP to power for the fourth consecutive time in the next 2018 assembly election," state BJP chief Dharamlal Kaushik told reporters.

The victory that came on the 50th day of demonetisation brought cheer to chief minister Raman Singh led BJP?who had suffered a setback in the urban body election for 10 municipal corporations held in 2014-15.

Congress had won four out of 10 corporations then while the ruling BJP was reduced to four, two less from previous time in that election. Besides,?rest of the two seats were won by Independent candidates.