Pune MLC polls: Teachers’ constituency logs 85.87% turnout, graduates’ at 62.78%

Pune: Polling for the Pune division graduate and teachers’ constituencies of the Maharashtra Legislative Council concluded on Friday with a high turnout, recording 62

Pune: Polling for the Pune division graduate and teachers’ constituencies of the Maharashtra Legislative Council concluded on Friday with a high turnout, recording 62.78% in the graduate constituency and 85.87% in the teachers’ constituency, according to interim polling figures released by election officials.

Election staff check electronic voting machines (EVM) at a distribution centre ahead of the fifth phase of general election at Sirohi district in Rajasthan. (Reuters)

The strong participation in both constituencies is expected to keep the electoral contest closely watched, with candidates from the BJP-led Mahayuti and opposition-backed contenders expressing confidence about their prospects.

The graduate constituency is witnessing a contest between BJP candidate Smita Jadhav and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) nominee Harshada Deshmukh-Jadhav, with Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Sunil Modi also in the fray. In the teachers’ constituency, BJP’s Kaustubh Gawade is challenging sitting Congress MLC Jayant Asgaonkar, while independent candidate Sachin Sanap, backed by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and former MLA Dattatray Sawant have joined the contest.

In the graduate constituency, 2,43,611 of the 3,88,019 registered voters exercised their franchise across Pune, Solapur, Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur districts.

The teachers’ constituency saw 53,185 of the 61,940 registered voters casting their votes. The constituency covers the same five districts.

Solapur recorded the highest turnout in the graduate constituency at 71.42%, followed by Satara at 66.92%, Kolhapur at 63.83%, Pune at 61.47% and Sangli at 55.62%.

In the teachers’ constituency, Satara topped the polling percentage at 89.39%, followed by Solapur at 89%, Kolhapur at 88.62%, Sangli at 87.83% and Pune at 78.08%.

State higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil expressed confidence that the Mahayuti candidates Kaustubh Gawade and Smita Jadhav would emerge victorious, pointing to the support the alliance had received during the campaign.

Independent candidate Sachin Sanap, backed by Shiv Sena led by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, also expressed confidence in his chances, saying his campaign had received a positive response from voters.