Pune: The MVA’s confidence about forming the govt in Maharashtra in the run-up to the assembly polls was crushed by the Mahayuti juggernaut, with the opposition alliance candidates finishing third in 29 of the 288 seats it contested.
Of these 29 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s 17 candidates ended up in the third position, and one in the fourth position.
Though a close contest was expected on the poll pitch after the fierce campaign in the run-up to the election, it turned out to be a one-sided result as MVA — comprising Congress, NCP (SP), and Shiv Sena (UBT) — was decimated to 46 seats by Mahayuti that reaped a rich harvest of 230 seats in the 288-member House.For Mahayuti, BJP led the show with 132 seats, followed by Shiv Sena (57) and NCP (41). For MVA, Shiv Sena (UBT) won 20, Congress 16, and NCP (SP) 10 seats.
Among the seats MVA candidates lost, the opposition alliance failed to put up a tough fight in 29 constituencies where it did not even finish as runner-up. Though Thackeray’s party won the maximum seats among the MVA partners, 18 of its candidates failed to secure the second position. In fact, its candidate from Nandgaon in Nashik district, Ganesh Dhatrak, finished fourth. Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena’s Suhas Kande won the seat. Sameer Bhujbal, a Mahayuti rebel and Chhagan Bhujbal’s nephew, finished second and independent candidate Rohan Borse third.
Among the other seats, Sena (UBT)’s pick from Airoli, Manohar Madhavi, finished third. He was in a fight with BJP’s Ganesh Naik, who emerged as the winner. In Kalyan Rural, Thackeray’s candidate, Subhash Bhoir, finished third against Sena’s Rajesh More. MNS’s Pramod Patil was runner-up.
Apart from Sena (UBT), Congress candidates finished third in Warora, Vasai, Solapur City Central, Aurangabad East, Amalner, and Achalpur. Five candidates of NCP (SP), the third partner of MVA, were pushed to the third slot in Pandharpur, Morshi, Chandgad, Ashti, and Aheri. For Mahayuti, not a single candidate of BJP finished third. Six Shiv Sena candidates and three NCP nominees, however, did.