Mahim Assembly Election Result: Mahesh Sawant Bags 'Thackeray's Legacy' Seat Defeating MNS' Amit Thackeray

Maharashtra Assembly Election Results: The Mahim Assembly seat is the most important constituency for the Shiv Sena as it bears Bal Thackeray's legacy.

From left: Amit Thackeray, Sada Sarvankar, and Mahesh Sawant.

Source : Facebook profiles of leaders

Mahim Assembly Seat result: The Mahim Assembly constituency carries the 'Thackeray family' legacy, as such this has emerged as the most important seat for the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena over the years. This is the birthplace of Bal Thackeray's Shiv Sena, where the slogan "Awaz konecha — Shiv Senecha [Whose voice is it — Shiv Sena's]" thundered through the streets.

The original Shiv Sena now lies fractured into three constituents, the MNS, the Uddhav Thackeray, and the Eknath Shinde camp.

This year, too, the focus is on the constituency, for several reasons. First, this was the debut election for MNS chief Raj Thackeray's son Amit Thackeray. Second, it was one of the 26 "friendly fight" seats where the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the BJP faced off over support to Amit. Eventually, the Shiv Sena fielded Sada Sarvankar while the BJP chose to support Amit Thackeray against Sarvankar.

Uddhav Thackeray also fielded his candidate — Mahesh Sawant, a mill worker's son, to protect his father's legacy.

The triangular contest was eventually won by Mahesh Baliram Sawant who raked in 50,213 votes. Sawant defeated Shiv Sena's Sada Sarvankar with a margin of 1,316 votes. Amit Raj Thackeray came third in the seat with 33,062 votes.

The Mahim constituency recorded the highest voter turnout in the Mumbai City district, with 59.01% of the constituency's electors casting their ballots.

The final turnout figure in Maharashtra was pegged at 66.05%, which is the highest in 30 years.

The Maharashtra Assembly elections for all 288 seats were held in a single phase on November 20. Both Mahayuti and the Mahavikas Aghadi launched fierce campaigns against one another.

This was one of the most crucial elections in the history of Maharashtra's assembly as it follows two years of political turmoil. Two of the biggest parties in the state, the Shiv Sena and the NCP, split after surprising rebellions by the leaders closest to the chiefs of the respective parties. Both Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar were shell-shocked after their aides Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar orchestrated rebellions to secure the CM and Deputy CM's seats, respectively. While the Shiv Sena split in 2022, the NCP split in 2023.

In this election, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance sought to maintain its hold on power, while the opposition coalition, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), aimed to build on its recent successes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra.