Nana Patole, the chief of Maharashtra Congress, resigned on Monday after the party’s disastrous performance in the recently concluded state assembly elections. Patole’s resignation follows a severe setback for the Congress party, which managed to win just 16 out of the 103 seats it contested—its worst-ever performance in the state. Patole himself barely retained his seat in the Sakoli constituency of Bhandara district, winning by a narrow margin of just 208 votes.
The Congress party, which was part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, suffered a heavy defeat as the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance swept to victory, securing a staggering 232 seats, far surpassing the 50-seat threshold needed for a majority. In contrast, the MVA, which included the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP, saw its collective strength collapse, with Congress’ share of seats dropping dramatically from 44 in the previous assembly elections.
Patole, who took over as the Maharashtra Congress president in 2021, had been vocal in his leadership, particularly after the Congress performed strongly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, securing 13 out of 17 seats in the state. However, tensions within the Maha Vikas Aghadi began to rise, especially during seat-sharing negotiations for the assembly elections. Reports indicated that disagreements over seat allocation between Congress and its allies, particularly Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP, had strained relationships, with some factions even refusing to engage in talks if Patole was involved.
Two days before the election results were announced, Patole had also stirred controversy by claiming that the Congress would lead the next Maha Vikas Aghadi government, a statement that reportedly irked Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut. Despite Patole’s bold leadership stance, the results indicated a clear rejection of the alliance’s governance, leaving the Congress in disarray.
The BJP’s sweeping victory in Maharashtra marked a significant political shift, with the party securing a dominant position and continuing its momentum after its historic hat-trick win in Haryana. The victory of 128 of 149 BJP candidates solidified the Mahayuti alliance’s hold over the state. As the opposition reeled from the loss, political heads began to roll, with Patole’s resignation being the first major consequence of the Congress’ poor showing.
