Mahayuti Setback in Maharashtra Legislative Council Elections Highlights Alliance Rift

On October 23, 2026 Maharashtra held biennial Legislative Council elections for five graduate- and teacher- constituencies. The ruling Mahayuti alliance (BJP, Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and NCP) secured two seats, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) won three. The Congress victory in the Nagpur Graduates’ seat, a traditional BJP stronghold, was the most consequential result.

ThePrintBJP-led NDA wins big in 4-state MLC polls, Congress retains Nagpur, SP stuns in Varanasi The HinduNew Indian ExpressNew Indian ExpressMLC election results: BJP wins big, but Congress and Samajwadi Party send a message from Nagpur, Varanasi Nagpur MLC election result 2026: Congress stuns BJP on Fadnavis, RSS home turf, retains Nagpur MLC seat The Indian ExpressNagpur MLC result: Congress' Abhijeet Wanjari beats BJP in RSS turf, MVA wins 3 seats

Mahayuti came to power after the 2024 Assembly elections, in which the BJP claimed 137 of 149 contested seats. The alliance’s seat-sharing formula (3:1:1) was intended to field joint candidates, but disagreements surfaced during the council polls, especially in Pune and Nagpur.

ThePrint

• October 23, 2026 – Polling in five constituencies.

MLC election results: BJP wins big, but Congress and Samajwadi Party send a message from Nagpur, Varanasi

• October 28–29, 2026 – Counting extended over 40 hours; results announced on October 29.

MLC election results: BJP wins big, but Congress and Samajwadi Party send a message from Nagpur, Varanasi

• October 29, 2026 – Opposition leaders criticised the BJP’s “arrogance” and “overconfidence.”

The Indian Express

• October 30, 2026 (scheduled) – INDIA bloc plans an impeachment event against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

ThePrint

• Nagpur Graduates’ seat: Congress candidate Abhijit Govindrao Wanjari — 67,231 votes; BJP candidate Sudhakar Kohale — 63,960 votes; margin 3,271.

In setback to BJP, Congress registers victory in MLC polls as Abhijit Wanjarri wins in RSS bastion Nagpur Nagpur MLC election result 2026: Congress stuns BJP on Fadnavis, RSS home turf, retains Nagpur MLC seat Congress opens account in MLC polls as Abhijit Wanjari retains Nagpur seat after nail-biting contest In BJP's Nagpur bastion, how Congress's Abhijit Wanjarri retained his MLC seat New Indian ExpressHindustan TimesNew Indian ExpressAbhijit Wanjarri is Congress face saver in MLC polls, retains seat in RSS bastion Nagpur MLC result: Congress' Abhijeet Wanjari beats BJP in RSS turf, MVA wins 3 seats

• Turnout: 72.96 % across 2,419 polling stations; Nagpur recorded 64.76 % turnout.

Hindustan Times

• Candidates: 182 contested the five seats.

New Indian Express

• Invalid votes: Reports differ, citing 15,032 invalid votes in Nagpur versus over 5,000 ballots invalidated for duplicate markings.

New Indian Express

BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban said Mahayuti could have won all five seats “had we contested together,” blaming Shiv Sena for “not fulfilling alliance obligations” in Pune and Nagpur.

ThePrintNew Indian ExpressBJP-led NDA wins big in 4-state MLC polls, Congress retains Nagpur, SP stuns in Varanasi The Indian ExpressNagpur MLC election result 2026: Congress stuns BJP on Fadnavis, RSS home turf, retains Nagpur MLC seat MLC election results: BJP wins big, but Congress and Samajwadi Party send a message from Nagpur, Varanasi Nagpur MLC result: Congress' Abhijeet Wanjari beats BJP in RSS turf, MVA wins 3 seats New Indian ExpressThePrint

Senior BJP minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule defended the state government’s mandate, referencing the 2024 Assembly victory.

Mahayuti rift widens after MLC poll, Shiv Sena leader seeks Eknath Shinde's return as CM

Congress leaders praised the Nagpur win as evidence that “the voters stood with us.”

Abhijit Wanjarri is Congress face saver in MLC polls, retains seat in RSS bastion

Shiv Sena leader Ravindra Dhangekar urged that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde be reinstated as chief minister, arguing the results reflect doubts about the state government’s image. BJP minister Pravin Darekar rebuked Dhangekar, telling him to “stay within his limits.”

Mahayuti rift widens after MLC poll, Shiv Sena leader seeks Eknath Shinde's return as CM MLC poll setback opens new front within Mahayuti; Shinde-for-CM pitch, 'Shakuni mama' jibe fly New Indian ExpressThePrintMaharashtra MLC polls: Mahayuti wins 2 seats, NCP-SP clinches 2 for MVA New Indian ExpressThePrintBJP-led NDA wins big in 4-state MLC polls, Congress retains Nagpur, SP stuns in Varanasi

Former BJP MLA Anil Sole alleged senior leaders were sidelining loyalists and briefly considered running as an independent before withdrawing.

The Indian Express

Sources differ on the number of invalid votes in Nagpur (15,032 vs. > 5,000). While most outlets agree on final vote totals, the sequence of preference-vote transfers is described variably, leaving the impact of independent candidate Nitesh Karale’s second-preference ballots unclear.

MLC poll setback opens new front within Mahayuti; Shinde-for-CM pitch, 'Shakuni mama' jibe fly

• “When there are doubts about the state government's image, such results are a reflection of it.” — Ravindra Dhangekar

Mahayuti rift widens after MLC poll, Shiv Sena leader seeks Eknath Shinde's return as CM

• “We seriously need to introspect over this major debacle of alliance candidates in MLC elections,” — Keshav Upadhaye

New Indian Express

The opposition’s impeachment drive against CEC Gyanesh Kumar is slated for October 30, ahead of an anti-SIR rally on November 1. Mahayuti leaders have signalled a review of seat-sharing and candidate-selection strategies ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

ANI News