BJP and allies secure 6 seats in Maharashtra MLC Election; Pankaja Munde emerges victorious; Congress gains only one.

Three BJP leaders – Pankaja Munde, Parinay Phuke, and Yogesh Tilekar – claimed victory after securing 26 votes each, surpassing the 23-vote threshold for victory. Two members from Mr. Pawar’s party – Rajesh Vitekar and Shivajirao Garje – also emerged as winners, along with Bhavana Gawli of the Shinde Sena.

The Mahayuti has achieved success in six out of the nine seats it contested. On the opposing side, the Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising the Congress, and Sena and NCP factions, fielded three candidates, but only one, Pradnya Satav, secured a victory.

The voting was conducted for a total of 11 seats, with 12 candidates competing for these positions. Prior to the legislators’ voting, concerns about potential horse-trading and poaching led to a period of resort politics, a recurring phenomenon in the Indian electoral landscape.

In the current composition of the Assembly, with a maximum of 288 seats but currently only 274 filled, a candidate requires 23 first-preference votes for election. The Mahayuti has 201 MLAs, translating to 201 votes, and also anticipates support from nine independent lawmakers.

Meanwhile, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has just 67 MLAs. Additionally, six MLAs have declared themselves as neutral.