The BJP on Wednesday faced another setback as it lost Nagpur, the home district of party stalwarts Devendra Fadnavis and Nitin Gadkari, as the results of the recently held Zilla Parishad Polls were announced.

According to the Nagpur Zila Parishad Election results, Congress has emerged as the biggest party with 31 seats out of 58. BJP is expected to get 15 while NCP is winning in 10 seats.

BJP even suffered defeat in Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s village in Nagpur. Congress candidate Mahendra Dongre (9,444 votes) won the Dhapewada seat in ZP election by defeating BJP nominee Maruti Somkuvar (5,501 votes). The BJP had been securing ZP’s Dhapewada seat for the last three terms.

Reacting on the defeat, Maharashtra minister and state NCP chief Jayant Patil said, “The BJP losing the Nagpur ZP election marks the beginning of its defeat elsewhere in Vidarbha.”

“The BJP faced defeat where it is in command and has strong leaders. The people of Nagpur have expressed their disappointment with Devendra Fadnavis and BJP. Maharashtra will take a note of it,” Patil said.

NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said the BJP’s defeat signals the end of “fascist politics”

“The defeat of BJP in the RSS homeland of Nagpur signals the end of fascist politics & dawn of development. I thank the voters of Nagpur for showing BJP its place,” Tapase said.

Of the total 332 seats for which voting was held in six ZPs, the BJP bagged 103, Congress 73, NCP 46, Shiv Sena 49, VBA 42, while Independents and others secured 14 seats.

The BJP fared well in the Dhule ZP, winning a majority and unseating the Congress-NCP combine.

The BJP, unseated from power in Maharashtra late last year, emerged as the single largest party with 103 of the 332 seats on offer in the six district councils (ZPs).

The results are coming in for Zilla Parishad election in Palghar, Nagpur, Dhule, Nandurbar, Akola and Washim. Voting was on these seats were held on Tuesday.