BJP nominee Sanju Parab has won the Sawantwadi municipal council president's election by defeating his Shiv Sena opponent, results for which were declared on Monday.
The council was controlled by Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar for the last 27 years.
Parab is a close aide of former chief minister and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Narayan Rane. Rane's son Nitesh, who is the BJP MLA from Kankavali in Sindhudurg district, played a crucial role in Parab's victory, sources said.
Shiv Sena MLA Kesarkar has failed to secure a berth in the new Maharashtra cabinet which was expanded on Monday.
Parab, who was polled 4,481 votes, defeated Sena's Babu Kudtarkar by 313 votes.
Meanwhile, BJP state president Chandrakant Patil on Monday issued a statement saying the party candidates have won on maximum seats so far in elections to local bodies on various posts.
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"The BJP won six top posts in Panchayat Samiti elections out of 10, where polling was held. The deputy chairman's post in Sindhudurg District zilla parishad was also won by the party," he stated.
Out of 51 seats in nagar panchayats at Chandgad, Hatkanangale (both in Kolhapur district) and Dhakani (in Yavatmal district), the BJP won 15 seats while it emerged as the single largest party in two nagar panchayat elections, he said.
In bypolls to local bodies for various posts on 16 seats, the BJP has won five seats while local factions bagged the rest, Patil said.