Nagpur Graduates Poll: Wanjari Leads Kohale by 927 Votes

In the ongoing Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, the results from Nagpur's graduates' constituency have revealed a close contest. As of the latest updates, Congress candidate Abhijit Wanjari is ahead of BJP's Sudhakar Kohale by a mere 927 votes. Wanjari has garnered 28,998 first-preference votes, while Kohale has received 28,071. The counting process, which began at 8 AM at Mankapur Stadium, is still underway, with independent candidate Nitesh Karale also remaining in contention with 14,708 votes.

The election has seen a total of 445 polling stations across various districts, including Wardha and Bhandara. The turnout for the graduates' constituency election, held on October 23, was recorded at 64.82%, with Chandrapur achieving the highest turnout of 73.05%. However, Nagpur had the lowest turnout at 60.35%. The counting process is expected to take up to 48 hours, as officials continue to tally the votes.

In the Amravati division, Kiran Sarnaik, backed by the Mahayuti alliance, is comfortably leading with 8,162 votes against Congress's Aditi Pohare, who has 4,688 votes. Sarnaik's lead stands at 3,474 votes, with the counting in this constituency also revealing a significant number of valid votes. Out of 33,034 votes cast, 32,266 were deemed valid, while 768 were rejected.

The results highlight the contrasting fortunes of the candidates in Nagpur and Amravati. While Wanjari's lead in Nagpur remains tenuous, Sarnaik's position in Amravati appears more secure. BJP Nagpur city president Dayashankar Tiwari has indicated that the competition between Wanjari and Kohale is expected to remain fierce as the counting progresses into the night.

As the counting continues, the final outcome will depend on the remaining votes and the potential transfer of preferences if no candidate meets the required quota. The results are anticipated to be finalized early Wednesday, providing clarity on the future composition of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.