Congress party workers celebrating their candidates’ win in Nehru Nagar.

 

 

 

The Indian National Congress (INC) has once again failed to make its mark in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), as the results declared on Friday revealed a continuing struggle for the party in the Orange City. Despite hopes of a resurgence driven by potential anti-incumbency, the Congress managed to secure only 34 seats, a marginal increase from its 2017 tally of 29. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demonstrated its firm grip on the civic body by clinching a decisive 102 seats out of the total 151. This landslide victory ensures the BJP maintains its majority, leaving the Congress as a distant second.

 

The results underscore a significant disconnect between the Congress party’s campaign and the city’s electorate. The Congress had high stakes in this election, fielding candidates in all 151 wards to challenge the ruling party across the city. However, the final figures suggest that the party’s appeal remains restricted. Analysts noted that most of the winning Congress candidates came from the same traditional strongholds, failing to expand the party’s influence into newer or more diverse areas of the city. During the recent campaigning, Congress leaders were optimistic that issues concerning civic infrastructure and local governance would trigger an anti-incumbency wave.

 

However, the BJP’s performance suggests that the ‘alternative option’ pitch from the Congress failed to convince the voters. The party’s inability to capitalise on local grievances has raised questions about its leadership and grassroots organisational strength in the city. As the counting concluded, the lopsided results indicate that the BJP’s development narrative continues to resonate with the city’s residents, while the Congress faces a steep climb to regain its former political relevance in the municipal body.