MVA sweeps three graduates' seats in Council polls; Mahayuti wins both teachers' seats, Pune included

Results of the Legislative Council graduates' and teachers' constituency elections were declared on Wednesday, the 28th, showing a close contest between the Maha Vikas Aghadi and the Mahayuti. The Maha Vikas Aghadi won all three graduates' seats, while both teachers' seats went to the ruling Mahayuti. The Mahayuti thus got only two of the five seats.

Mahayuti leaders have expressed displeasure over the outcome and put the blame for the defeat on the Shiv Sena. The BJP has accused the Shiv Sena of causing the loss, saying the Mahayuti suffered because the ally did not stay with it. The Mahayuti parties have said they will now introspect on the defeat.

In the Pune graduates' constituency, Harshada Deshmukh-Jadhav of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) defeated the BJP's Dr Smita Jadhav. Harshada Deshmukh-Jadhav is said to have won on the strength of two years of preparation and the party's organisational strength. Meanwhile, discontent within the BJP directly hurt Dr Smita Jadhav.

In the previous election, the NCP's Arun Lad won this seat. Before this election, Arun Lad's son Sharad Lad joined the BJP. For this reason, Harshada Deshmukh-Jadhav had begun her preparations early. It is also being said that her natal home being in Satara and her marital home in Pune helped her in the constituency strategy.

Several factors are being cited as the main reasons for the result. Sharad Lad, who was keen to contest on the BJP ticket, had prepared vigorously, but at the last moment the BJP gave the candidature to Dr Smita Jadhav. She joined the BJP after her candidature was announced. It is being said that the imposed candidature angered the BJP's loyal workers, and this weighed heavily on Smita Jadhav. Despite substantial backing, voters rejected her. The organisational network of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) directly benefited Harshada Deshmukh-Jadhav.

Resentment among young people is also being mentioned. A few days ago, protests were held in Pune over the MPSC paper leak. The stand taken by Sharad Pawar's party in them had also been in the news.

In the Pune teachers' constituency, the BJP's Kaustubh Gawade defeated Sachin Sanap, the candidate backed by the Shinde Sena. A major tangle had arisen within the Mahayuti over this seat, but in the end the BJP kept it. Sachin Sanap then filed his nomination as an independent candidate and the Shinde Sena supported him. As a result, a friendly contest took place within the Mahayuti itself, which made Gawade's win easier.

Gawade's win is being attributed to the organisational strength in Kolhapur, a fresh young face and experience of organisational work. The friendly contest between the BJP and the Shinde Sena also worked out in Gawade's favour in the vote arithmetic. The votes taken by independent candidate Dattatray Sawant also helped Gawade. The splitting of opposition votes further cleared his path to victory.