A graphic from The Hindu shows Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and incumbent CM Eknath Shinde
Within the battle for the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly, there were several closely fought secondary battles. Key among this was the battle for Shiv Sena’s legacy, with Eknath Shinde’s faction on the one hand and Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray’s faction on the other. While the Shinde faction has retained the party’s iconic bow and arrow symbol as well as the original name, the second faction has been allotted a mashaal (flaming torch) symbol and bears the name Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb-Thackeray.)
As counting is underway on Saturday (November 23, 2024), Shiv Sena is leading in 56 seats and Shiv Sena- UBT is leading in 19. While results have not been declared for all seats, trends heavily predict a victory for the Mahayuti alliance, which comprises of Shiv Sena, NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) and the BJP.
Results announced in Sena vs Sena fights
Bhiwandi Rural: Shantaram More vs Ghatal Mahadev Ambo
Shiv Sena’s Shantaram Tukaram More secured a victory in Bhiwandi Rural with a margin of 57,962 votes, defeating Ghatal Mahadev Ambo Shiv Sena (UBT). Independent Manisha Rohidas Thakare came in third, while MNS candidate Vanita Shashikant Kathore came in a distant fourth.
Palghar: Rajendra Gavit vs Jayendra Kisan Dubla
In Palghar, Shiv Sena’s Rajendra Gavit trumped Shiv Sena(UBT)‘s Jayendra Kisan Dubla by a margin of 40,337 votes. MNS candidate Naresh Korde came in a distant third.
Mahad:
Bharat Gogawale of Shiv Sena defeated Shiv Sena UBT’s Snehal Manik Jagtap by around 26,000 votes.
Trends for key battles
Kopri Pachpakhadi – Eknath Shinde vs Kedar Dighe
Incumbent Chief Minister and Shiv Sen Sena chief Eknath Shinde led by a comfortable lead of around 70,000 votes over his Shiv Sena-UBT rival Kedar Dighe, with 16 rounds of counting done.
Mr. Shinde is seeking a fourth term from the Kopri-Pachpakhadi seat – one of five Assembly seats under the Thane Lok Sabha constituency, where he has a strong influence. Mr. Dighe meanwhile is the nephew of Anand Dighe, a one-time mentor of the Sena chief.
Mahim – Sadanand Sarvankar vs Mahesh Sawant
Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Mahesh Sawant is leading by a narrow margin of 4847 votes against Sadanand Sarvankar, the incumbent MLA in Mahim. MNS scion Amit Raj Thackeray, who made his poll debut in this Assembly election, is in third place.
The constituency attracted much attention ahead of the polls for the triangular poll fight between the Shiv Sena (UBT), Shiv Sena and MNS candidate. Mahim, a Sena bastion since 1990 which was briefly held between 2009 and 2014 by MNS, is in focus as BJP had expressed a wish to back Mr. Thackeray ahead of the polls.
Worli – Milind Deora vs Aditya Thackeray
Shiv Sena(UBT)‘s Aditya Thackeray leads Milind Deora of the Shiv Sena by around 6000 votes with 12 out of 17 rounds of counting done. Mr. Thackeray is the incumbent MLA while Mr. Deora, now with the Shiv Sena and a Rajya Sabha MP, has previously been the Mumbai South MP on a Congress ticket. Worli has been a Sena stronghold since the 1990s, but is now witnessing a fierce fight between a third-generation Thackeray and a second-generation Deora.
Kudal – Nilesh Rane vs Vaibhav Naik
Nilesh Rane of Shiv Sena is leading by a margin of over 6000 votes over Vaibhav Naik, the Shiv Sena-UBT candidate.
Mr. Rane is the son of ex-CM Narayan Rane, and is contesting from his father’s old constituency. A BJP leader, Mr. Rane is contesting on a Shiv Sena ticket in the constituency which has been a Sena stronghold for several years. Vaibhav Naik has been the MLA for this seat since 2014, however, this battle is an uphill one with the Rane influence in the region.
Pachora – Kishore Patil vs Vaishali Suryawanshi
Kishore Patil of the Shiv Sena is leading by over 34,000 votes. In second place, is independent Amol Panditrao Shinde. The Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Vaishali Suryawanshi, is trailing in a distant third place.
This seat witnesses a battle between cousins Kishore Patil and Vaishali Suryavanshi for the legacy of Tatyasaheb R.O. Patil, who has twice won this seat. Mr. Patil is the incumbent MLA, first being elected in 2014. Ms. Suryawanshi made her poll debut this time around, invoking her father’s legacy in Jalgaon.
Published – November 23, 2024 02:18 pm IST