Nagpur: Abhijit Wanjari of Congress was leading by over 9,000 votes after three rounds over Sandip Joshi of BJP in the Nagpur division graduate’s constituency election. Two more rounds remained at the filing of the report. Result was expected to be declared late in night.
BJP refused to concede after three rounds. “Let all the rounds be completed. We will make the difference in one round and then we will establish a lead,” said former BJP MLC Anil Sole.
Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said that Wanjari’s lead would go on increasing. “BJP is losing everywhere in the state. It is a failure of former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis,” he added.
In the first round, Wanjari polled 12,617 votes against 7,767 polled by Joshi thus establishing a lead of 4,850 votes. In the second round the Congress leader polled 11,497 votes against 9,085 garnered by Joshi thus increasing his lead to 7,262 votes. At the end of third round, Wanjari had polled total 35,509 votes against 25,898 polled by Joshi.
The fight seems to be a straight one with Independent candidate Atul Khobragade a poor third with 5,757 votes. Nitesh Karale was fourth with 4,314 votes.
Congress sources said that OBCs, Muslims and Dalits had mostly voted for Wanjari due to which he was comfortably ahead. “Every time the polling percentage in Nagpur division graduate constituency election was poor because our voters did not take the election seriously. This time they did and the polling percentage was over a record 64%. In 2014, when Sole had defeated Baban Taywade of Congress, the voting percentage was only 37%,” said a Congress leader.
BJP has been winning this seat since last 58 years. Gangadharrao, father of Devendra Fadnavis, had won from this constituency many times. After his death, Union minister Nitin Gadkari won from this seat five times. After Gadkari switched over to Lok Sabha, Sole won from this seat. If Joshi loses it will be a big setback to both Fadnavis and Gadkari.