1st phase results of civic polls a start of change: Maha CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said the results of the first phase of municipal council and nagar panchayat polls were beginning of a change in the state and expressed confidence that Baramati, an NCP bastion, would follow suit.
Fadnavis addressed rallies in Konavar, Talegaon Dabhade, Alandi and Shirur in Pune district where the second phase of polls are scheduled for December 14.
Without naming the NCP, he said because of the ruling politicians municipal councils have become "a den of corrupt activities".
"Our government has set up a third party audit system for civic bodies. This will herald the end of politicians who consider local bodies as their personal fiefdom. We want to fill coffers of the people and not politicians," the Chief Minister said.

Taking a swipe at NCP leadership, he said Baramati does not belong to the rich and powerful but to the poor, farmers and farm labourers.
"If there was no corruption in the state earlier, farmers would have got water and would have lived happily. Our government had embarked on a development agenda which the previous government had ignored," he said.
NCP supremo Sharad Pawar hails from Baramati.
BJP emerged as a major gainer in the first phase of municipal council polls in Maharashtra, winning 851 seats across 164 urban local bodies, making inroads into the traditional strongholds of Congress and NCP.