Rebel BJP Candidate Defeats Shiv Sena Nominee in Maharashtra MLC Polls

In a significant electoral upset, Gokul Gite, a rebel candidate from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), defeated the ruling Shiv Sena nominee Narendra Darade in the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections for the Nashik district local governing body constituency. The counting, held on June 22, 2026, saw Mr. Gite secure 357 votes against Mr. Darade's 248, a margin of 109 votes, according to election officials.

Mr. Darade, a member of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, had been considered the frontrunner, with the backing of the ruling Mahayuti alliance. His defeat comes amid a recent rebellion within the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, where six of its nine Lok Sabha members switched allegiance to the ruling Shiv Sena. Despite campaigning alongside several elected representatives, Mr. Darade was unable to secure victory.

Shiv Sena MLC Manisha Kayande expressed doubts about the outcome, stating, 'There is a serious doubt about the result as we were assured that our candidate would be supported.' A visibly upset Mr. Darade left the counting centre after it became clear that a majority of local representatives had voted for Mr. Gite.

The Nashik constituency had been embroiled in controversy since Mr. Gite announced his candidacy against Mr. Darade. Mr. Gite alleged that Mr. Darade had used foul language against him. Senior leaders of the Mahayuti alliance, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, BJP minister Girish Mahajan, and Shiv Sena minister Uday Samant, intervened to resolve the issue. Following intense discussions, Mr. Gite suspended his personal campaign, but his name remained on the ballot as the withdrawal deadline had passed.

Mr. Gite clarified on Monday that while he suspended his own campaign, his supporters continued canvassing on his behalf. This clarification came after initial reports suggested he had halted all campaign activities.

The biennial elections were originally notified for 17 seats, including one bypoll. However, voting was required only in 11 constituencies, as candidates from the Mahayuti alliance secured unopposed victories in six seats. Those elected unopposed include BJP's Arun Lakhani from Wardha-Chandrapur-Gadchiroli, Prajakt Tanpure from Ahilyanagar (who joined the BJP shortly before filing his nomination), NCP nominees Vikram Kakade from Pune and Aniket Tatkare from Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, and Shiv Sena candidates Ravindra Phatak from Thane and Dushyant Chaturvedi from Yavatmal. Mr. Tanpure, a nephew of NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil, had previously served as a minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

The Opposition MVA alleged that the ruling alliance used money and muscle power to force the withdrawal of rival candidates. The outcome in Nashik has highlighted internal dissent within the ruling coalition and raised questions about candidate selection for future elections.