Cross-Voting Marks Maharashtra MLC Elections as Mahayuti Clinches 16 of 17 Seats

The ruling Mahayuti alliance registered a commanding victory in the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections from local authorities' constituencies, winning 16 of the 17 seats and dealing a major setback to the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) , which failed to secure a single seat.

The biennial elections were held for 17 seats, including one bypoll, with voting taking place in 11 constituencies after six candidates from the ruling alliance were elected unopposed. The results underscored the Mahayuti's organisational strength and revealed significant cross-voting across party lines .

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the biggest winner, securing 11 seats , while its allies Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won three and two seats respectively. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the outcome as a " resounding victory " for the Mahayuti and credited the alliance's success to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and coordinated efforts of coalition partners.

The lone exception to the ruling alliance's dominance came in Nashik , where Independent candidate Gokul Gite defeated Shiv Sena nominee Narendra Darade by 109 votes. However, in a development that softened the setback for the alliance, Gite later announced that he had joined the Shiv Sena as an associate member under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde .

The election results were marked by reports of extensive cross-voting , particularly in Nagpur, Sangli-Satara and Nashik . In Nagpur, BJP candidate Rajiv Potdar recorded a convincing victory despite the Opposition's expected numerical advantage, indicating defections from rival ranks.

The Opposition MVA, comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) , alleged misuse of power, money influence and pressure tactics during the polls. Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal accused the ruling alliance of undermining democratic norms and using its political machinery to secure victories.

Despite the allegations, the results reinforced the Mahayuti's political dominance in Maharashtra and highlighted the challenges facing the Opposition ahead of future electoral contests in the state.