Kohale leads Vanjari by 4,284 votes after second round in Nagpur graduates' constituency count

Trends kept shifting in the counting for three graduates' and two teachers' seats of the Legislative Council. From the Marathwada graduates' constituency in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to Pune, the Maha Vikas Aghadi is poised to deliver a jolt. In the Nagpur graduates' constituency, regarded as the Chief Minister's stronghold, the Congress and the Maha Vikas Aghadi have also shown their strength.

Here, Congress candidate Abhijit Vanjari and BJP candidate Sudhakar Kohale were locked in a close contest. In the counting that went on till late at night, first one and then the other moved ahead.

A total of 1,50,874 votes were found valid. On this basis the quota for victory was fixed at 75,438 votes, but neither candidate could reach that figure. Counting of second-preference votes therefore had to begin. BJP candidate Sudhakar Kohale has demanded a recount of the votes declared invalid.

Kohale had been expected to gain a lead of two to two and a half thousand votes in the second round. The attention was on whether Congress's Abhijit Vanjari would be able to move ahead in the elimination. In the second round, Sudhakar Kohale took the lead.

At the end of the second round in the Nagpur division graduates' constituency election, the votes polled by the candidates are: Abhijit Vanjari 56,651, Sudhakar Kohale 60,935 and Nitesh Karale 23,985. BJP's Sudhakar Kohale is thus ahead by 4,284 votes at the end of the second round. The number of invalid votes was 15,106.

During the counting there was sloganeering on one side and an embrace on the other. When Congress candidate Abhijit Vanjari reached the counting centre, BJP MLA Praveen Datke called out to him and the two embraced. Workers of the BJP and the Congress were present at the time. Many people expressed happiness at the sight.

Meanwhile, some BJP and Congress workers had gathered on the main road outside the counting centre at Mankapur Stadium in Nagpur. Slogans were raised from both sides and the situation was tense for a while. The police later removed the workers of both parties from the spot.