Bhopal, Jul 20 (IANS): The outcomes of the urban local body polls in Madhya Pradesh will send warning signal to the two national parties dominating state politics, the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress, as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) have made a stunning entry in Madhya Pradesh's political scenario.
While the Arvind Keriwal-led AAP bagged one Mayoral post besides winning around half-a-dozen municipal wards, Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM also made an impressive entry into state politics by winning as many as six municipal wards.
After the second phase of counting on Wednesday, results of five municipal corporations -- Rewa, Katni, Morena, Dewas and Ratlam -- were announced, in which the AAP managed to win one municipal ward while the AIMIM won three municipal wards.
Notably, the results came just about 16 months before the Assembly elections scheduled in 2023, boosting the confidence of the cadres both the debutant parties in the state.
In the first phase of counting held on July 17, AIMIM had bagged two municipal wards in Jabalpur and one each in Khandwa and Burhanpur. In the second phase of counting held on Wednesday, out of the three municipal seats AIMIM won, one was won in Khargone by a candidate belonging to the Hindu community.
AIMIM's Aruna Upadhyay, who won from Khargone, told IANS, "I had never thought of contesting elections, but I was impressed by the thoughts of Asaduddin Owaisi. Communal violence in April this year changed the scenario of the city and the people who used to walk and talk together are now experiencing bitterness. People from both the communities have supported me and I will try my best to work for them."
In the overall results, out of the 16 municipal corporations in Madhya Pradesh, BJP could retain only nine Mayoral posts, while the Congress for the first time managed to win five Mayoral. The AAP and an Independent candidate won one Mayoral post each.
The saffron camp lost the Mayoral post in the Morena Municipal Corporation, the home turf of party stalwart and Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar. The BJP also lost the Mayoral post in Rewa after a gap of 25 years.