BJP, Cong win equal number of local body president's posts

The ruling BJP and opposition Congress today won nine posts of presidents of local bodies each in Madhya Pradesh.
The elections to 19 local bodies were held on January 17.
One seat was won by an independent, a State Election Commission officer said here.
BJP candidates for president's post won at Peethampur Municipality and nagar parishads of Dahi, Kukshi, Dhamnod, Pansemal, Rajpur, Palsud and Omkareshwar. The BJP also won, unoppoed, the post of president of Sendhwa Municipality.
Congress won the president's post at the municipalities of former chief minister Digvijay Singh's stronghold Raghogarh, Barwani, Manawar and Dhar, besides nagar parishads at Anjad, Khetia, Sardarpur, Rajgarh and Dharampuri.

The president's post in Jaithari Nagar Parishad was won by an independent candidate.

Across these 19 local bodies, BJP won 194 seats of corporators while the Congress won 145. Independent candidates claimed 13 seats.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan attributed his party's disappointing performance to rebel candidates.
Rebel candidates marred the BJP's chances in many places, Chouhan told reporters at Mandsaur.
Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh said the Congress has snatched seven local body seats from the ruling BJP.
"These results have shown that people are disillusioned with the BJP government. The BJP failed despite misusing government's money in fighting the elections," he alleged.