Mumbai: Shiv Sena’s Shock Defeat In Nashik Lone Setback In Mahayuti Sweep
The Ekanth Shinde-led Shiv Sena accused the BJP of betraying its allies: Reports
MUMBAI: In a jolt for the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, its nominee Narendra Darade was defeated by the rebel BJP candidate Gokul Gite from the Nashik constituency in the Maharashtra Vidhan Parishad polls. Stung by the defeat, Darade had accused the BJP of betraying its allies.
According to election officials, Gite secured 357 votes against Darade’s 248, winning by a margin of 109 votes in Nashik. Darade’s defeat came as a surprise as he was the official candidate of the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, which had adequate strength.
Though Gite had entered the fray as an independent, he had halted his campaign after the invention of top Mahayuti leaders. However, his name remained on the ballot because the withdrawal deadline had passed. Though Gite had said he would not continue campaigning, he clarified on Monday that he had only suspended his personal campaign while his supporters continued canvassing.
The Ekanth Shinde-led Shiv Sena accused the BJP of betraying its allies. A visibly upset Darade left the counting centre after it became clear that a majority of local representatives had voted in favour of Gite. According to observers, Darade lost due to alleged large-scale cross-voting from the BJP. After the result, Darade expressed strong resentment by saying, “I have been betrayed.”
“How did this happen? We will have to give this some thought. This will strain relations,” Maharashtra Minister Sanjay Shirsat from Shinde Sena said.
Barring this result, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance swept the polls by winning 16 out of 17 seats in the biennial elections of the Maharashtra Vidhan Parishad.
X`x`The elections were originally notified for 17 seats, including one bypoll, but voting was required in only 11 constituencies as candidates of the Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Sunetra Pawar’s NCP, secured unopposed victories in six seats. Of the 11 seats that went to polls, the BJP won nine, while the Shinde Sena won 1 seat. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi drew a blank in these polls.
