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

Congress candidate and sitting Legislative Council member Abhijit Wanjari has taken a narrow lead in the official count of first-preference votes in the Nagpur division graduates' constituency election. BJP candidate Sudhakar Kohale is second.

According to the official counting sheet, Wanjari received 28,998 votes and Kohale 28,071, leaving the Congress candidate ahead by 927 votes.

Independent candidate Nitesh Karale has emerged as the third major contender, with 14,708 first-preference votes.

The figures recorded in the sheet are: Abhijit Govindrao Wanjari (Congress) 28,998, Sudhakar Vitthalrao Kohale (BJP) 28,071 and Nitesh Balkrishnaji Karale (independent) 14,708. Sanjay Thul followed with 1,762 votes. Mangesh Chhatrapati Wankhede received 642, Borkar Dhananjay Tulshiram 612, Atul Sheela Dinkar Deshmukh 576 and Sumedh Bauddha Gadpayale 521. The remaining candidates received fewer votes still.

The official sheet records 84,003 votes in all. Of these, 76,875 were declared valid and 7,128 were rejected. More than 7,000 votes have thus been invalidated, a significant feature of the first round of counting.

A total of 38 candidates are in the fray. With so many candidates, the validity of ballot papers and the distribution of preference votes will play a major role in deciding the final result.

Wanjari has a 927-vote lead over Kohale, but that lead alone does not settle the outcome. Graduates' constituency elections are held under the preferential voting system. The fixed quota and the counting procedure that applies will determine whether the result can be declared on first-preference votes alone or further counting is needed.

For now, the official first-round sheet has made the picture of the contest somewhat clearer. Wanjari is slightly ahead of Kohale, and Karale has secured a good share of first-preference votes. Further details of the count and the announcement of the final result are yet to come from the election officials.