Boost for Mahayuti, setback for Sharad Pawar: Key highlights of Maharashtra MLC election results

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis addressing the media amid celebrations after Mahayuti won all 9 seats in the state Legislative Council polls in Mumbai on July 12, 2024. (Courtesy: PTI photo)

The biennial election process for eleven Maharashtra legislative council seats concluded on Friday, with the incumbent Mahayuti winning all nine seats it contested. The elections were seen as a semifinal contest before the upcoming state assembly polls.

Here are five key highlights from the Legislative Council polls:

1. Cross-voting

Mahayuti fielded nine candidates, while three candidates from the MVA were in the fray. However, only two MVA candidates won, with the defeat of the third attributed to cross voting by at least five Congress MLAs. This is not the first instance of cross-voting by Congress MLAs, who also voted against their party's official candidate, Chandrakant Handore, two years ago.

2. Morale booster for Mahayuti

After the dismal performance by the Mahayuti alliance in the Lok Sabha polls, where they won only 17 out of 48 seats, the morale of its leaders was low. However, the MLC results have infused new enthusiasm among the alliance leaders.

3. Rehabilitation of Pankaja Munde in Maharashtra politics

Pankaja Munde's political career had been on a downward spiral after her defeat in the 2019 assembly polls. She was shifted out of state politics and made BJP national secretary. Although she was fielded by the party from Beed in the last Lok Sabha polls, she was defeated by Bajrang Sonawane of the NCP (SP). However, by becoming an MLC, she has made a re-entry into Maharashtra politics.

Also read: Pankaja Munde's political career out of doldrums as BJP offers candidacy for legislative council

4. Setback for Sharad Pawar

Sharad Pawar did not field any candidates from his own party but supported PWP's Jayant Patil's candidature. Before the elections, NCP (SP) leaders claimed that many MLAs who rebelled along with Ajit Pawar last year wanted to return to Sharad Pawar and would crossvote in favor of the Pawar-supported candidate. However, the results contradict this claim, with Ajit Pawar's second candidate also winning despite lacking adequate numbers in the Vidhan Sabha, thanks to cross-voting.

5. Fadnavis regains stature

The Lok Sabha poll results were a setback for Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, who offered to resign after the debacle but was declined by the top leadership. However, Mahayuti leaders are now crediting Fadnavis for the victory, as he devised the strategy for MLAs on how to vote in the complex preferential voting system.

Also read: With Maharashtra assembly elections just 4 months away, row in MVA over CM face

The two alliances will clash again later this year in October when assembly elections for 288 seats are likely to be held.