CONFIDENT Tories in BLACKBURN with DARWEN predict they could wipe out Labour control of the town hall by 2001.

The Conservatives won four seats from Labour, but the ruling group still retains a large majority in the council chamber and even managed to win one seat from the Liberal Democrats.

Turnout in the borough was one of the lowest on record - less than 30 per cent on average and below 20 per cent in three wards.

Two of the four Tory gains were made by their first ever Asian councillors in the borough - Abdul Bhikha in Shear Brow ward and Par' Vaiz Iqbal Awan in Corporation Park ward.

The other two Conservative gains came from Lorraine Chesterton in Bastwell, and Alan Jones in Meadowhead.

Liberal Democrat Paul Edmondson lost his Queen's Park ward seat to Labour's Faryad Hussain.

Mayor-elect Coun Salas Kiani, who will lead the borough into the new millennium, emerged victorious in Audley. George Kirby, chairman of the Blackburn Conservative Association, said: "We believe we may be able to achieve parity in the council in two years time.

"This was better than expected and not one single result was below expectations.

"Encouraging results in the Hyndburn elections last year gave us the lead to field candidates in every ward and some people said we were taking on too much. I think we have proved them wrong."

Labour council leader Coun Malcolm Doherty said: "There were some good results mixed in there and our result was not as bad as in some other places.

"Turnout was very low and maybe the government's local government modernisation programme will tackle some of those issues."

Liberal Democrat Coun David Foster added: "We were disappointed to lose one seat, but we are encouraged because our overall vote held up."

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