Mumbai: In MMR, Mahayuti achieved significant electoral victories, maintaining their strongholds while reclaiming lost territories and altering established political dynamics.
In Kopri-Pachpakhadi, CM Eknath Shinde secured the highest victory margin among four seats within Thane civic boundaries. His Ladki Bahin scheme, benefiting over 1.2 lakh residents, helped him defeat his mentor Anand Dighe’s nephew and UBT’s Kedar Dighe by 1.2 lakh votes. “The opposition spent the last two years levelling allegations against us. We responded with constructive work,” Shinde said, expressing gratitude for the statewide victory.
In Ovala-Majiwada, three-term MLA Pratap Sarnaik secured 1.8 lakh votes, defeating UBT’s Naresh Manera by 1.08 lakh votes. BJP’s Sanjay Kelkar retained Thane for the third time, securing 1.2 lakh votes against UBT’s Rajan Vichare, while MNS’s Avinash Jadhav finished third.
Belapur saw a nail-biting finish with BJP MLA Manda Mhatre retaining her seat with a wafer thin margin of 377 votes against NCP (SP)’s Sandeep Naik. She polled 91,852 votes and Naik 91,475.
In Palghar district, Mahayuti took five of the six seats. BJP and Shiv Sena candidates overcame three BVA incumbents—Hitendra Thakur, Kshitij Thakur and Rajesh Patil—in Vasai, Nalasopara and Boisar. Sena’s Rajendra Gavit won in Palghar against UBT’s newcomer Jayendra Dubla. In Vikramgad, BJP’s Harishchandra Bhoye prevailed over NCP (SP)’s Sunil Bhusara. CPI(M)’s Vinod Nikole narrowly retained Dahanu with a lead of 5,133 votes. The seat also recorded 5,120 NOTA votes, one of the highest in MMR.
In Mira-Bhayander, BJP’s Narendra Mehta won with 1.44 lakh votes, beating Congress’s Muzaffar Hussain and ex-BJP member Geeta Jain.
Mahayuti’s success continued in Kalyan: it kept four seats and added Kalyan Rural. MVA’s sole victory there came from Mumbra-Kalwa, where Jitendra Awhad secured his fourth term. Ravindra Chavan scored the highest margin among six seats in Kalyan.
In Bhiwandi, Mahayuti secured five seats. SP representative Rais Shaikh won Bhiwandi East. The remaining victories went to BJP’s Kishan Kathore and Mahesh Chaugule, Sena’s Shantaram More and Vishwanath Bhoir, and NCP’s Daulat Daroda.
The coalition dominated in Navi Mumbai, too—sitting MLA Ganesh Naik of BJP won by 91,880 votes from Airoli. Uran, Panvel and Pen went to BJP MLA Mahesh Baldi (95,390 votes), Prashant Thakur (1.8 lakh) and Raviseth Patil (1.2 lakh). Sena MLAs Mahendra Dalvi and Mahendra Thorve snatched Alibaug and Karjat seats, respectively.