After Lok Sabha Setback, How NDA-Led Mahayuti Swept Maharashtra Council Polls

Mumbai: In a major setback for INDI alliance, NDA-led Mahayuti alliance swept Maharashtra MLC elections on Friday by wining all nine seats it contested on. After it claimed 9 seats out of 11, celebrations erupted across ruling Mahayuti alliance. 

After suffering a jolt in recently-concluded Lok Sabha polls where NDA could not deliver stunning performance as it anticipated while Mahavikas Aghi alliance (MVA) gave an impressive performance but Friday results have turned table. Mahayuti alliance comprises BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) whereas opposition MVA alliance, comprises of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Shar Pawar-led NCP.

All nine candidates of Mahayuti alliance, including BJP's Pankaja Munde, emerged victorious in biennial legislative council elections.

NCP-Backed Jayant Patil Loses

Similarly, from MVA alliance, Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Milind Narvekar and Congress's Pragya Satav won polls while Jayant Patil from Peasants and Workers' Party (PWP), who was backed by Nationalist Congress Party (SP), lost elections.

re were 12 candidates in poll race for 11 seats in upper house of state legislature where 274 current MLAs form electoral college. According to officials, all 274 MLAs cast ir votes. 

According to sources, mass cross-voting was witnessed during polls from opposition MLAs, leing to a comfortable win for ruling alliance. 

During high-stake MLC elections, BJP h fielded five candidates, while allies Shinde Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP h fielded two candidates each and all of m managed to win elections comfortably. opposition MVA alliance h fielded three candidates.

Internal Tensions in Congress?

Closing looking at picture, it seems that seven votes of Congress were split. Congress has a total of 37 MLAs in state. Out of 37, 25 MLAs gave ir first preference votes to Pragya Satav, which indicated that seven votes went to or parties, highlighting internal tensions.

Milind Narvekar received 22 first-preference votes, whereas Uddhav Sena only has 15 members which implies that that at least seven Congress MLAs cross-voted.

Winning Candidates

Eight candidates won high-stake polls by receiving first preference votes. remaining candidates h to depend on second choice of votes.

A minimum of 23 first preference votes was needed to win poll. Candidates who get equal or more votes generaly are declared winners. votes received by candidates are as follows.

BJP Candidates
 

• Pankaja Munde - 26 (Winner)
• Parinay Fuke - 26 (winner)
• Amit Gorkhe - 26 (Winner)
• Yogesh Tilekar - 26 (Winner)
• Sabhau Khot - 14 (winner in second round)
•  

NCP (Ajit Pawar) Candidates

• Shivaji Rao Garje - 24 (Winner)
• Rajesh Witekar - 23 (Winner)
• Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde Group) Candidates
• Kripal Tumane - 24 (Winner)
• Bhavna Gawli - 24 (Winner)

Congress Candidate

• Pragya Satav - 25 (Won)
• Shiv Sena (UBT) Candidate
• Milind Narvekar - 22 (winner in second round)

PWP

• Jayant Patil - 12 (lost) 

Key Takeaways:

• Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Milind Narvekar claimed victory in last phase, despite not having required strength of MLAs.
• five winning candidates of BJP include two OBC candidates, one Dalit, one Maratha. winning list also include name of Pankaja Munde, who h recently faced defeat in Lok Sabha elections from Beed.
• Meanwhile, CM Shinde fielded Bhavna Gawli and Krupal Tumhane in polls race by denying seats to sitting MLAs.
• Though Jayant Patil h NCP (Shar Pawar) backing, he lost polls due to lack of support from or MVA allies.
• Notably, Congress MLAs which gave 25 votes to Pragya Satav and around six or seven votes to Narvekar, mystery still remains over possibility of cross-voting of nearly seven MLAs.
• polls results also reflect that despite Mahayuti alliance not performing well in LS polls, alliance is intact as MLAs who went with Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar still support m.
• Congres, which got maximum seats in LS polls in state, doesn't have full control over its MLAs.