Nagpur graduates' poll: Congress's Wanjari leads BJP's Kohale by 927 first-preference votes

The official count of first-preference votes in the Nagpur division graduates' constituency election is out. Congress candidate and sitting MLA Abhijit Wanjari has taken a lead of 927 votes over the BJP's Sudhakar Kohale. The information came from Nagpur on October 27, 2026.

According to the official counting sheet, Wanjari received 28,998 votes, while Kohale was recorded with 28,071. The gap between the two is very small, making the contest look close.

Independent candidate Nitesh Karale was third with 14,708 votes. Among the other candidates, Sanjay Thul received 1,762 votes, Mangesh Chhatrapati Wankhede 642, Borkar Dhananjay Tulshiram 612, Atul Sheela Dinkar Deshmukh 576 and Sumedh Bauddh Gadpayale 521. The remaining candidates received comparatively fewer votes.

The full names of the leading candidates are: Congress candidate Abhijit Govindrao Wanjari, BJP candidate Sudhakar Vitthalrao Kohale and independent candidate Nitesh Balkrishnaji Karale.

On the total votes, the official sheet records 84,003 votes. Of these, 76,875 were found valid, while 7,128 were declared invalid. The number of invalid votes is considered significant in the figures for this first stage of the election. There are 38 candidates in the fray.

Wanjari's lead of 927 votes is not yet a final win. Elections in the graduates' constituency are held under a preferential voting system. Even after first-preference votes of all candidates are counted, the prescribed electoral process must be completed for the final result.

The final result will be decided on the basis of the fixed quota and the applicable counting procedure. Further counting may be carried out if required.

For now, in the official first-preference figures, Congress's Abhijit Wanjari is ahead of the BJP's Sudhakar Kohale. Independent Nitesh Karale has also received a sizeable number of votes. All eyes are now on the next stage of counting and the returning officer's official announcement.