BJP leader and Maharashtra Revenue Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil secured a decisive victory in Shirdi, a prominent temple town constituency, winning by over 70,000 votes.
Maharashtra Cabinet Minister and BJP's candidate from Shirdi Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. (Kunal Patil/HT Photo)
According to the Election Commission, Vikhe Patil garnered 1,44,778 votes, defeating Congress candidate Prabhavati Ghogare, who received 74,496 votes. BJP rebel and independent candidate Rajendra Pipada trailed significantly, managing only 1,510 votes.
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A seven-time MLA, Vikhe Patil won on a BJP ticket in 2019 after contesting earlier elections on other party tickets. This time, he faces a challenge from Pipada, who is contesting independently after refusing to withdraw despite meetings with Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and BJP state chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Congress’s Ghogare, a former NCP member, hopes to benefit from vote splits within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
The contest came amid heightened polarisation, especially after the Union home ministry's recent approval to rename Ahmednagar district as Ahilyanagar.
The political landscape in Maharashtra has undergone significant changes since 2019. The Shiv Sena, which initially formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government with Congress and NCP, split in 2022, with Eknath Shinde’s faction joining the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance. The NCP also divided last year, with one faction led by Ajit Pawar aligning with the BJP, while Sharad Pawar retained the original party name.
Today’s election results give hint to how voters in Shirdi and the broader Ahmednagar district perceive these shifting alliances and realigned battle lines.
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Home/India News/BJP's Radhakrishna Patil win Shirdi by over 70,000 votes in Maharashtra polls
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