India, Dec. 31 -- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday opened its account in the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections even before polling, with its candidate Nitin Jayaram Patil declared elected unopposed in ward No. 18B after officials scrutinised all nominations.

There was only one other contender from the ward-Rohan Gawand from the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP), which is backed by the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance. However, election officials rejected his candidature under the Other Backward Classes category over alleged deficiencies in the documentation of his caste certificate. With no other valid contender left, election officials declared Patil elected as per the rules, handing the BJP an early an...