Congress's Vanjari wins Nagpur graduates' seat by 3,271 votes, beating BJP's Sudhakar Kohale

The result of the Nagpur Division Graduates' constituency election has been declared. The contest was extremely close and a matter of prestige. Congress candidate Abhijit Vanjari, representing the Maha Vikas Aghadi, defeated Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Sudhakar Kohale. In the tightly fought contest, Vanjari won by a margin of 3,271 votes.

BJP MLA Parinay Phuke reacted to the result. Phuke said the BJP did not get the votes of the Shinde Shiv Sena in the Nagpur Division graduates' election, and criticised that party over the issue. He said this hurt Kohale somewhat. Phuke also said a report on the result would be sent to the party leadership.

Phuke also spoke about Congress. He said Congress always raises an outcry over EVMs, but even with an election held on ballot papers, it has lost in most places. He said Congress would now protest against ballot papers and demand that elections be held on banana leaves. He added that the protest planned for November 1 might be meant for that purpose.

In the elections held for five seats in the state, the Mahayuti won 2 seats. It won the Pune Teachers' constituency and the Amravati Teachers' constituency. The Maha Vikas Aghadi won 3 seats.

The seats contested by each party were as follows: the BJP contested 3 seats and won 1. Shinde's party contested 2 seats and won 1. Congress contested 2 seats and won 1. The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) contested 2 seats and won both. Of the 5 seats in the state, the Mahayuti got 2 and the opposition parties 3.

The BJP had staked its prestige on winning back the Nagpur stronghold. However, shifting vote arithmetic, discontent within the party and the second-preference votes of independent candidate Nitesh Karale Guruji that went to Vanjari appeared to have upset the BJP's strategy. Kohale lost as a result.

Results of the Legislative Council's graduates' and teachers' constituencies are now out. They showed a fierce tussle between the Maha Vikas Aghadi and the Mahayuti.