Kalidas Kolambkar.
Credit: X/@KalidasKolambkr
Mumbai: Veteran politician Kalidas Kolambkar has won the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly polls for a ninth term from the financial capital of Mumbai.
Contesting on a BJP ticket, the 71-year-old won the polls from the Wadala seat of Mumbai.
Kolambkar has started his political career under late Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
This is the ninth consecutive term as an MLA for veteran politician.
Click here for live coverage of the Maharashtra assembly election results!
Kolambkar defeated Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Shraddha Jadhav (59) and Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) candidate Snehal Jadhav (54).
Both the ladies were former Corporators of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Kolambkar has won the Wadala (and earlier Naigaon) seat - twice from the BJP, twice for Congress and five times for the Shiv Sena.
The constituency comprises largely Marathi-speaking people besides from the Gujarati and Rajasthani communities, and a significant number of Muslim and Dalit community members.
Kolambkar has never lost an election and there was no break - and hence he is among the few legislators of India - to have won nine successive times.
Kolambkar is close to former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane, who is now with BJP after a stint with Congress.
In the run up to the elections, Kolambkar has said: “Nothing is impossible in politics. I have always worked for the welfare of the people...My area has a history of an MLA not being re-elected. However, I have been continuously elected as an MLA (Wadala) since 2009 and earlier (Naigaon)….I will get my name registered in the Guinness Book of World Records…My parents brought me to the word…it was Balasaheb Thackeray who guided me and I always follow his principles”.
Ganpatrao Deshmukh won 11 terms
However, as far as number of terms is concerned, late Peasants' and Workers' Party (PWP) leader Ganpatrao Deshmukh had won 11 times. Deshmukh was first elected an MLA in 1962 and has won 11 times during his political career spanning seven decades. He contested 13 times, but lost twice in 1972 and 1995.
Deshmukh after Karunanidhi
Deshmukh is the second longest serving legislator in India after late DMK supremo and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. As against Deshmukh's tenure, Karunanidhi was a member of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly for 61 years and was an MLA 13 times.
Maharashtra Assembly poll 2024 results| Check constituency results here
Jharkhand Assembly poll 2024 results| Check constituency results here
Bypoll 2024 results | Check Karnataka results here
Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. It remains to be seen if these polls help the BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.
Subscribe and follow DH on Whatsapp, X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram to never miss out on anything.