MLC polls: BJP wins graduates' seat in Konkan, Sena in Mumbai

MUMBAI: The counting of votes for four seats to the state legislative council-Mumbai graduates', Mumbai teachers', Konkan graduates' and Nashik teachers' constituencies-was conducted on Thursday.
Shiv Sena's Vilas Potnis bagged the Mumbai graduates' seat, Kapil Patil of Lok Bharati Party won the Mumbai teachers' constituency, and BJP's Niranjan Davkhare bagged the Konkan graduates' constituency.Davkhare won by a margin of 5,000-odd votes against Shiv Sena's Sanjay More.
Counting was still on for the Nashik teachers' constituency till the time of going to press late at night.
Polling for the four MLC seats was held on June 25. The biennial elections were necessitated as the terms of Deepak Sawant of Sena (Mumbai Graduates), Kapil Patil of Lok Bharati Party (Mumbai Teachers), Davkhare (Konkan Graduates) and Apoorva Hire, an Independent (Nashik Teachers), will end on July 7.
Davkhare had recently switched from NCP to BJP after his father Vasant Davkhare's death.
Sena had denied ticket to state health minister Deepak Sawant from the Mumbai graduates' constituency, which he has represented for two consecutive terms.
The Mumbai graduates' constituency had witnessed a tough fight between Potnis, BJP's first-time nominee Amit Mehta and Independent candidate Rajendra Korede, who was supported by Congress and NCP. It had recorded around 53% voter turnout.
In the Mumbai teachers' constituency polls, which had recorded 83% voter turnout, Sena's Shivaji Shendge clashed with Patil, who had support from Congress and NCP. BJP was backing Independent nominee Anil Deshmukh.