Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab emerged victorious in the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls, claiming the Mumbai Graduates constituency. He defeated the BJP’s Kiran Shelar in the election held on June 26. Parab garnered 44,784 votes, while Shelar received 18,772 votes. A total of 67,644 voters cast their ballots, with 64,222 votes deemed valid. To secure victory, a candidate needed 32,112 votes. Parab secured 44,784 votes in the first preference voting, leading to his declaration as the elected candidate.
In a separate development, the Congress party re-nominated MLC Pradnya Satav as its candidate for the upcoming biennial elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Council from the MLA quota. These elections are scheduled for July 12 and will fill 11 seats that will become vacant on July 27 when sitting members retire. Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) will be voting in these polls.
Two of the 11 retiring MLCs belong to the Congress. However, considering their current strength in the assembly, the opposition party can only elect one candidate to the Upper House. Pradnya Satav is the wife of late Congress MP Rajeev Satav. She was elected unopposed to the council in 2021 during a by-poll necessitated after the death of sitting Congress MLC Sharad Ranpise.
The ruling BJP has fielded five candidates, including former state minister Pankaja Munde, who was unsuccessful in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections from Beed in central Maharashtra. The NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), an ally of the Congress, has declared their support for Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) candidate Jayant Patil.
With 14 vacancies in the 288-member assembly, the electoral college comprises 274 members. The winning candidate needs to secure 23 votes. The biennial elections are occurring just ahead of the assembly polls, scheduled for October.
