Nagpur graduates' poll count may run into second day; 34 of 238 postal votes invalid

Counting of votes for the closely watched Nagpur divisional graduates' constituency election has begun at the sports complex in Mankapur. The count started with postal ballots, and 34 of the 238 postal votes were declared invalid.

The share of invalid votes is so high even among postal ballots that a large number of votes cast directly are also feared to be invalid. For this reason, the quota of first-preference votes required has not yet been fixed.

According to the figures, a candidate will have to cross a quota of about 80,000 votes to win on first preferences. But the contest is extremely close and invalid votes are feared, so it is being said that it will be difficult for any candidate to be elected on first preferences alone. If the quota is not met on first preferences, second-preference votes will have to be counted.

This process is time-consuming. The final result is therefore very likely to come by Wednesday morning.

The main contest on this seat is a direct one between the BJP's Sudhakar Kohle and Congress MLA Abhijit Wanjari. Both candidates have made firm claims of victory at the counting venue. Nitesh Karale, a rebel candidate from Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party, has claimed he will get 40,000 to 45,000 votes in the first round itself and will be elected in that round.

The BJP had made the election a matter of prestige. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis himself camped in Nagpur for two days.

It is also a battle of revenge for the BJP. Last time, Abhijit Wanjari wrested the seat from the BJP in a historic win. The defeat had rankled with the BJP, so this time the party planned meticulously and took care that there was no breach. The Chief Minister himself went to the home of rebel Anil Sole to persuade him, and his efforts succeeded. Even so, it is being speculated that internal infighting and discontent in the BJP could surface after the result.