Amravati Teachers’ Poll: 26 Candidates Compete for MLC Seat
Voters in Amravati Division head to the polls today to elect a representative for the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
35,810 voters eligible across five districts.
Key candidates include Congress's Aditi Pohare and Shiv Sena's Kiran Sarnaik.
Major campaign issues include the Old Pension Scheme and teacher demands.
Today marks the election for the Amravati Division Teachers’ Constituency, where voters will select their representative for the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Polling will take place at 81 centers from 8 AM to 4 PM, with a total of 35,810 eligible voters from Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Washim, and Buldhana districts participating in the preferential voting process.
The election is officially a contest between the Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi alliances, but the primary competition is between Congress candidate Aditi Pohare and the incumbent MLC Kiran Sarnaik from the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction). Sarnaik faces significant challenges, not only from Pohare but also from dissenting members within his own alliance, including BJP rebels and a Shiv Sena dissident, which could fragment the Mahayuti vote.
Aditi Pohare is supported by her father, former minister Harshwardhan Deshmukh, who leads the prominent Shri Shivaji Education Society in Vidarbha. Additionally, the Nagpur University Teachers’ Association (NUTA) has endorsed her, adding weight to her campaign. Key issues influencing voters include the push for the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and the demands of teachers from convent and unaided schools.
In the previous election held in 2020, Kiran Sarnaik won as an Independent candidate, garnering 15,606 votes, including 6,095 first preference votes. He defeated Shrikant Deshpande, who received 9,191 votes as the Shiv Sena candidate. The constituency saw a robust voter turnout of 81.10%, with 30,918 out of 38,129 registered voters participating in the election.
As the polls unfold today, the outcome will significantly impact the educational landscape in the region, particularly concerning the demands of teachers and the future of pension schemes. The results are expected to be announced shortly after the voting concludes, setting the stage for potential shifts in the political dynamics of Maharashtra's education sector.
