Maharashtra MLC Election Results 2024: The Mahayuti Alliance led by BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) bounced back in the Member of Legislative Council (MLC) elections securing nine out of 11 seats, polling for which was held today. All five candidates fielded by BJP and two each by Sena and NCP won the election. Overall, a total of 12 candidates were in the fray in a major contest between the Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Alliances before the high-stakes Assembly elections due to be held later this year.
BJP's Pankaja Munde, Yogesh Tilekar, Parinay Phuke, Amit Gorkhe, Sadabhau Khot, Ajit Pawar-NCP's Rajesh Vitekar, Shivajrao Garje, and Eknath Shinde-Shiv Sena's Krupal Tumane, Bhavana Gawali won the election. It remained a successful election for the Mahayuti alliance as all its nine candidates won the poll.
Pankaja Munde, Yogesh Tilekar, Parinay Phuke, and Amit Gorkhe got 26 votes each. A candidate needs to secure 22.76 votes to win the election.
Meanwhile, Congress' Pradnya Rajeev Satav, and Milind Narvekar have also won the election. According to reports, cross-voting from the Congress' side has been reported due to which Mahayuti camp candidates managed to secure victory for all the nine candidates it fielded.
Mahayuti alliance leaders showed victory sign after BJP-led Mahayuti alliance swept the Maharashtra legislative council polls, winning nine of 11 seats.
On MLC election results, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said, "Five MLAs supported us, I thank them. When there are elections, allegations are made but I do not think about it...Mahayuti should get such success in the Vidhan Sabha as well..."
Who got how many votes?
BJP
- Pankaj Munde - 26
- Yogesh Tilekar - 26
- Amit Gorkhe - 26
- Parinay Phuke - 26
- Sadabahu Khot - 23.24
NCP
- Rajesh Viteker - 23
- Shivajirao Garje - 24
Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena
- Bhavna Gawli - 24
- Kripal Tumane - 24
Congress
- Pragya Satav - 25
Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena
- Milind Narvekar - 24.16
Sharad Pawar's NCP
- Jayant Patil - 12.46
Results prove Mahayuti will win Assembly election, says Eknath Shinde
A visibly relaxed Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday claimed that "today's victory has proved that the Mahayuti will win the upcoming Assembly elections by putting a show of unity".
On the other hand, Deputy CM Fadnavis, who had offered to resign following the party's dismal show in the general elections, said, "Today is a happy day for Mahayuti. Our nine candidates have been elected. When the Mahayuti had decided to contest nine seats under CM Eknath Shinde's leadership, many people expressed doubts. Today, the Mahayuti not just got its (MLAs') votes but also of the Maha Vikas Aghadi."
For Deputy CM Pawar, the victory of NCP's two nominees was a major relief after the party's poor performance in the general elections. Pawar said, "Our strategy was to not disturb our ally and ensure that we gain extra votes from outside. It worked and we managed to win nine seats."
Cross-voting in MLC polls
While six MLAs from Congress have reportedly cross-voted in favour of the ruling alliance, the claims of NCP-SP leaders about MLAs from Ajit Pawar camp shifting towards them have fallen flat.
CM Shinde too has proven that his command over the MLAs from Shiv Sena remains firm as none from his side have shifted their allegiance to Uddhav Thackeray.
Apart from CM Shinde's strategy, the Mahayuti leaders have given credit to Deputy CM Fadnavis for successfully managing the numerical game of the council election by defeating the MVA.
Five MLCs of the BJP show its attempt to reestablish the caste combination by promotion of OBC leadership in the form of Pankaja Munde, Yogesh Tilekar and Parinay Phuke; young Dalit face of Amit Gorkhe, and farmer leader Sadabhau Khot.
The BJP fielded five candidates, and its allies, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP, have fielded two candidates each. From the BJP, Pankaja Munde, Yogesh Tilekar, Parinay Phuke, Amit Gorkhe, and Sadabhau Khot contested the election.
Shiv Sena fielded Krupal Tumane, Bhavana Gawali, while the NCP kept its hopes on Rajesh Vitekar and Shivajrao Garje.
Voting was held between 9 am and 4 pm, officials said. All the results are expected to be declared by this evening. There are 12 candidates in the fray for the 11 seats in the upper house of the state legislature, where the 274 current members of the legislative assembly form the electoral college.
With inputs from PTI
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