BJP dealt blow by MVA in MLC polls

In a significant political development in Maharashtra, the Maha Vikas Aghadi struck a blow to the BJP in its stronghold of Nagpur and the larger Vidarbha region in the keenly-watched polls to the Maharashtra Legislative Council.

In the elections to five seats - the MVA comprising Sharad Pawar-led NCP, Congress and Uddhav Thackeray-led group of Shiv Sena and its allies won one seat and leading in two others while the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena alliance had to settle for two seats.

In the elections to the Nagpur Division Teachers’ seat, Congressman Sudhakar Adbale, who was the candidate of the MVA defeated sitting two-time MLC Nago Ganar, the Independent candidate who was backed by the BJP.

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In the Konkan Division Teachers’ seat, BJP’s Dnyaneshwar Mhatre defeated sitting MLC Balaram Patil of the Peasants’ and Workers’ Party (PWP), an ally of the MVA alliance.

In Amravati Division Graduates’ seat, Dhiraj Lingade of the Congress, who was the candidate of the MVA, is leading against Dr Ranjit Patil of the BJP, a two-time sitting MLC and a former minister in the erstwhile BJP-Shiv Sena government. Dr Patil is a leading orthopaedic surgeon.

The Vidarbha region and Nagpur, which also houses the RSS headquarters, is the home turf of top BJP leaders including Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.

In the keenly-watched Nashik Division Graduates’ seat, Satyajeet Tambe who rebelled against the Congress and filed as an Independent and later got BJP’s indirect support is leading against Shubhangi Patil, the Independent candidate and BJP rebel, who has been backed by the MVA.

In the Aurangabad Division Graduates seat, sitting two-time MLC Vikram Kale of the NCP, who was the candidate of the MVA, is leading against Kiran Patil of the BJP.