Daijiworld Media Network - Jalgaon

Jalgaon, Jan 16: In a dramatic turn during the Maharashtra local body election results, Mahayuti candidate and former Jalgaon mayor Lalit Kolhe secured a decisive victory despite contesting the polls from jail, while his son and mother also emerged victorious, triggering celebrations among supporters across the city.

Lalit Kolhe won from Ward No. 11, even as he remains in judicial custody in connection with a bogus call centre case. His son Piyush Kolhe, who contested from Ward No. 4, and his mother Sindhutai Kolhe also registered wins from their respective wards, marking a rare triple victory for the Kolhe family.

Reacting to the results, Kolhe’s wife Sarita Kolhe turned emotional while speaking to the media. “My husband is in jail and faces very serious allegations. Yet the people have blessed us with their votes. This victory belongs to truth and to the love shown by the voters,” she said, breaking down as she embraced her son.

Lalit Kolhe had spent nine days in police custody before being remanded to judicial custody. Due to lack of space at the Jalgaon prison, he was shifted to Nashik jail. Kolhe, who has previously been associated with the MNS, BJP and Khandesh Vikas Aghadi, is currently aligned with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Supporters celebrated the family’s success with festivities across Jalgaon following the declaration of results.

Meanwhile, counting of votes for the Jalgaon Municipal Corporation elections is underway. Voting was held for 63 of the total 75 seats, while 12 wards were decided unopposed. As many as 321 candidates contested the elections across 19 wards.

The civic polls witnessed a direct contest between the Mahayuti alliance and the opposition front comprising Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, with several smaller alliances and independent candidates also in the fray.