Mumbai, Jan 30: The Konkan teachers constituency recorded the highest voter turnout at 91.02 per cent, while the Nashik division graduates seat logged the lowest polling at 49.28 per cent as elections to five seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council concluded on Monday, a key electoral contest in the state after the Eknath Shinde government assumed office in June.
The contest for biennial elections to the Upper House of the state legislature was primarily between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena (Balasaheb) combine and candidates backed by the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
The 6-year term of five Council members – three from teachers and two from graduates constituencies – is expiring on February 7 and polling was held to fill up the upcoming vacancies. Counting of votes will be held on February 2.
Teachers and graduates fulfilling certain criteria and enrolled as voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in these elections.
The Nashik division graduates constituency recorded 49.28 per cent polling, while the Amravati division graduates seat saw a voter turnout of 49.67 per cent, Shrikant Deshpande, Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra, said.
The teachers constituencies of Aurangabad, Nagpur and Konkan divisions recorded 86 per cent, 86.23 per cent and 91.02 per cent voting, respectively, Deshpande added.
All eyes were on the Nashik division graduates seat, where the Congress saw a rebellion in its ranks in run-up to the polls. Three-time MLC Sudhir Tambe was the official Congress candidate from the seat, but he did not file his nomination papers.
As he opted out of the race, his son Satyajeet Tambe entered the fray as an independent. (PTI)
