Counting of votes for Pune division graduates’ and teachers’ constituencies under way at Balewadi stadium on Tuesday amid heavy police deployment
Pratapsinh Patil of NCP (SP) took the lead of over 3,500 votes after the first round of counting. Polling was held on Oct 23 for the five MLC seats, including one seat each for teachers’ and graduates’ constituencies for Pune division, graduates’ constituency for Nagpur division, teachers’ constituency for Amravati division and graduates’ constituency for Aurangabad division. Congress’ Abhijit Wanjari was ahead of BJP’s Sudhakar Kohale by 927 votes in Nagpur division graduates’ constituency after the first round of counting. Sarnaik was leading by 3,474 votes after three rounds of counting.
An NCP-versus-NCP battle was played out in the Aurangabad division graduates’ constituency. Satish Chavan of NCP was initially leading after the counting of ballot votes. A section of political observers was expecting an easy win for Chavan, but a three-term MLC, NCP (SP)’s Patil sprang a surprise by putting up a tough battle. NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule and party MLA Rohit Pawar were among the top leaders who had campaigned for Patil. Voters had to cast preferential votes on paper ballots. NCP (SP) candidate Harshada Deshmukh was leading against BJP’s Smita Jadhav from Pune graduates’ constituency. In Pune teachers’ constituency, BJP’s Kaustubh Gawade was leading against sitting MLC and Congress candidate Jayant Ajgaonkar. Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena had supported rebel candidate Sachin Sanap against BJP’s Gawade in the same constituency, but Sanap was also trailing in early trends. In Amravati teachers’ constituency, Shiv Sena’s Kiran Sarnaik had taken a sizeable lead against Congress candidate Aditi Pohare. Shiv Sena rebel candidate from the same seat, Shrikant Deshpande, was in second position during early trends of counting.
Results of all five seats were expected to be declared by early on Wednesday, according to election officials.