MLC Election Result 2026: BJP blames Shinde for loss; Raut's 'Big Fat Zero' jibe at Modi

Maharashtra MLC Election Result 2026: With the Mahayuti winning only two of five seats, BJP leaders accuse ally Sena of undermining its candidates in Pune and elsewhere

Maharashtra MLC Election Result 2026: A setback for the BJP in the Nagpur graduates' constituency has triggered a public blame game within Maharashtra's ruling Mahayuti alliance, with BJP leaders accusing the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena of undermining its allies in the Legislative Council elections, while the Opposition has targeted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over a deleted social media post mocking the Congress.

The Mahayuti won two of the five teachers' and graduates' constituency seats, while the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi secured three. The defeat in Nagpur, a BJP stronghold that houses the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters, proved particularly embarrassing for the party after Fadnavis posted a jibe referring to the Congress as "Big Fat Zero". The Chief Minister later deleted the post after Congress candidate Abhijit Vanjari emerged victorious.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Fadnavis over their social media remarks, saying it was unbecoming of the Prime Minister to ridicule the country's principal Opposition party.

"Coming on social media to mock the country's principal Opposition party is puerile," Raut said, according to remarks reported by Marathi media. He also took a swipe at the BJP over the Nagpur result, saying graduates had put the party in a difficult position.

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar also targeted Fadnavis, pointing out that the Chief Minister had personally intervened in the Nagpur contest and visited voters to persuade rebel candidates to withdraw, yet the BJP had lost in the constituency.

In a post on social media, Pawar said the defeat had come in Nagpur, the BJP's and the RSS's stronghold, despite Fadnavis's personal involvement in the campaign. He said the result should serve as a warning against the arrogance of power and congratulated Vanjari on his victory.

The BJP, however, turned its criticism towards its alliance partner, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, alleging that the party had failed to support the BJP and the Nationalist Congress Party in key constituencies.

BJP spokesperson and corporator Navnath Ban said the Sena had not extended the expected cooperation to its allies in Pune and Nagpur. He alleged that the Sena's last-minute backing for independent candidate Sachin Sanap in Pune had undermined the Mahayuti's unity, while Maharashtra minister Abdul Sattar had campaigned against the NCP in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

"During the teachers' and graduates' constituency elections, the Shiv Sena, our ally, did not extend the expected cooperation in Pune and Nagpur. By supporting Sachin Sanap at the last moment in Pune, the Sena dealt a blow to the unity of the Mahayuti. The votes he received did not go to the BJP candidate. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Abdul Sattar directly campaigned against the NCP, which also affected the alliance," Ban said in a social media post.

Ban further alleged that the Mahayuti could have won all five seats had its partners worked together.

"If the Shiv Sena had followed the Mahayuti alliance's principles and supported the BJP and the NCP, the alliance could have won all five seats. But, in its pursuit of one seat in Pune, the Shiv Sena put its allies in a difficult position and cost the alliance an opportunity to win three seats," he said, adding that sacrificing the interests of alliance partners for one seat was not in the Mahayuti's interest.

BJP leader Keshav Upadhye also questioned the alliance's performance and called for a review of its election strategy.

"After the results in five seats, will we introspect as the Mahayuti? When there was a clear possibility of winning all five seats had we fought together, will we examine why we managed to win only two?" Upadhye said in a social media post.