'Kuch To Gadbad Hai': Sanjay Raut Questions Results As Maha Vikas Aghadi Stumbles In Maharashtra

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole was leading by 344 votes from Sakoli constituency at the end of first round.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut questioned the counting of votes as the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance appeared set to retain power in Maharashtra. The alliance was leading in 204 of the 288 assembly seats, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi was stumbling, as per the latest figures by the Election Commission.

"Kuch to gadbad hai...This cannot be the decision of the people of Maharashtra. We know what the people of Maharashtra want," Raut told reporters.

As per ECI figures, in the Mahayuti, BJP candidates were leading in 111 seats, Shiv Sena in 58 and NCP in 35 seats. In the MVA, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidates were leading in 9 seats, Congress in 20 and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) in 18 seats.

Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBA) leader Siddharth Mokale said the results were absolutely unexpected. "Those who voted, they themselves would not have expected such results. Only BJP, Adani, Ambani would have expected such results. There were at least 30-35 seats on which we were in the race. Our workers had full confidence that we were winning some seats. The kind of big lead being shown for BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP... the public opinion about them was not that great... this was the case till the voting day. I am not aware if they did something after voting," he added. 

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole was leading by 344 votes from Sakoli constituency at the end of first round. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and sitting MLA Aaditya Thackeray was leading in Worli assembly seat in Mumbai by 495 votes, the poll officials said. Congress Legislature Party leader and former minister Balasaheb Thorat was trailing in Sangamner assembly seat by 1,831 votes. Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan was also trailing by 1,590 votes in Karad South assembly seat.

The final turnout in the polls, held on November 20, was 66.05 per cent, up from 61.1 per cent in 2019.In the ruling Mahayuti alliance, the BJP contested 149 assembly seats, Shiv Sena 81 seats, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP fielded candidates in 59 constituencies.In the MVA combine, the Congress fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) put up 86 candidates.