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BJP rebel Gokul Gite sprang a astonishment connected Monday (June 22, 2026) arsenic helium swept Maharashtra legislative council's Nashik territory section governing assemblage constituency, defeating ruling Shiv Sena nominee Narendra Darade.
Counting was being held connected Monday (June 22) for the June 18 elections to 11 seats successful the State legislature’s Upper House.
Mr. Gite secured 357 votes against Mr. Darade's 248, winning by 109 votes, arsenic per predetermination officials. His triumph came arsenic a surprise, arsenic the ruling enactment campaigner was expected to enactment up a beardown challenge.
Mr. Darade belongs to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which has been successful the spotlight pursuing a rebellion by six of the 9 Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha members, with 2 of them confirming their power to the ruling Sena.
He had campaigned successful the constituency on with respective elected representatives for the election.
Shiv Sena MLC Manisha Kayande expressed reservations implicit the outcome, saying, "There is simply a superior uncertainty astir the effect arsenic we were assured that our campaigner would beryllium supported." A visibly upset Mr. Darade near the counting centre aft it became wide that a bulk of section representatives had voted successful favour of Mr. Gite.
The Nashik constituency had witnessed contention since Mr. Gite announced his candidature against Mr. Darade. He had alleged that Mr. Darade utilized foul connection against him.
Mr. Gite entered the fray arsenic an autarkic against Mr. Darade, the ruling alliance's authoritative candidate. Senior Mahayuti leaders, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Shinde, BJP curate Girish Mahajan and Shiv Sena curate Uday Samant had intervened to resoluteness the issue.
Following aggravated discussions, Mr. Gite halted his campaign, but his sanction remained connected the ballot arsenic the withdrawal deadline had passed.
Though Mr. Gite had said helium would not proceed his run aft meetings with elder leaders, helium clarified connected Monday that helium lone suspended his idiosyncratic run portion his supporters continued canvassing.
The biennial elections were primitively notified for 17 seats, including 1 bypoll, but voting was necessitated successful lone 11 constituencies arsenic candidates of the Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Sunetra Pawar's NCP, secured unopposed victories successful six seats.
BJP's Arun Lakhani from Wardha-Chandrapur-Gadchiroli and Prajakt Tanpure from Ahilyanagar, NCP nominees Vikram Kakade from Pune and Aniket Tatkare from Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, and Shiv Sena candidates Ravindra Phatak from Thane and Dushyant Chaturvedi from Yavatmal were elected unopposed.
Mr. Tanpure joined the BJP soon earlier filing his nomination. The Ahilyanagar leader, a nephew of NCP (SP) person Jayant Patil, had earlier served arsenic a Minister successful the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
The Opposition MVA alleged that the ruling confederation utilized wealth and musculus powerfulness to unit withdrawal of rival candidates.
