The ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, secured a resounding victory in the recent Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, winning all nine seats contested. The BJP won five seats, while Shiv Sena and NCP bagged two seats each. The swearing-in ceremony for the newly-elected members took place at the Vidhan Bhavan on Sunday.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab secured victory in the Mumbai Graduates constituency of the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls, defeating the BJP’s Kiran Shelar. The elections were held on June 26, with Parab receiving 44,784 votes compared to Shelar’s 18,772 votes. Meanwhile, the Congress has re-nominated MLC Pradnya Satav for the upcoming biennial elections to the Council from the MLA quota. These elections are scheduled for July 12 and will fill 11 seats becoming vacant on July 27. The ruling BJP has fielded five candidates, including former state minister Pankaja Munde, while the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) has announced support for Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) candidate Jayant Patil.
As voting commenced on Wednesday for the biennial elections to four seats of the Maharashtra legislative council in Mumbai, Konkan, and Nashik regions, these areas are observing a dry day. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has instructed the state excise department to enforce three dry days affecting Mumbai, Konkan, and Nashik divisions. Liquor sales and services are prohibited from 6 PM on June 24 until 6 PM on June 26 and on the day of counting, July 1. The move has drawn criticism from some liquor shop and bar owners, who view it as indicative of mistrust towards the educated and limited voter base participating in these elections. The ECI’s directive is expected to result in a loss of around ₹100 crore in excise revenue per day.
