In a dramatic turn of events following a marathon 30-hour counting process, Congress candidate Abhijit Wanjari claimed victory in the Nagpur Division Graduates’ Constituency election, overturning a steady lead held by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While election officials have yet to issue the final certificate or confirm the exact winning margin, the contest flipped decisively in the final rounds of preference counting.
Throughout much of the scrutiny at Mankapur Indoor Stadium, BJP candidate Sudhakar Kohale held a comfortable lead ranging between 4,000 and 4,700 votes, prompting party supporters to prepare for victory celebrations. However, the cushion gradually eroded as elimination rounds progressed.
Wanjari surged ahead by approximately 2,400 votes in the final stages, leading Kohale to publicly concede the election. Speaking to news channels, Kohale acknowledged that the remaining uncounted votes were unlikely to alter the outcome, stating, “I congratulate them,” in reference to the Congress camp.
The crucial shift emerged through the mechanics of the preferential voting system. With 1,50,874 total valid votes cast, the mandatory winning quota was set at 75,438. Because no candidate secured the required first-preference threshold, the election was decided by transferring second-preference choices from eliminated contenders.
Independent candidate Nitesh Karale, popularly known as ‘Karale Guruji,’ proved to be the decisive game-changer. After being expelled from the NCP, Karale ran independently and polled over 24,000 votes. The redistribution of his second-preference votes overwhelmingly favored Wanjari, pulling the Congress candidate ahead.
The high-stakes election carried major political significance for the region. The BJP had historically held the Nagpur Graduates’ seat for nearly six decades before Wanjari broke the streak in 2020. Senior leadership including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule had campaigned extensively in Fadnavis’s home district.
The overall voter turnout across the six constituent districts stood at 60 percent, with heavy participation recorded in Chandrapur, Gondia, and Gadchiroli, ultimately setting the stage for Wanjari’s successful re-election claim.
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