Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha byelection result 2018 highlights: NCP candidate Madhukar Kukade today won in the Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha bypoll by defeating his nearest BJP rival Hemant Patle by over 2,000 votes. The constituency comprises six assembly segments and has a total 17.6 lakh voters. The total voter turnout was 40%, much lower than previous two Lok Sabha polls.
The bypoll was necessitated after the resignation of sitting BJP MP Nana Patole in December 2017, who left the saffron party to join the Congress. He had won the last elections with 50.62 per cent votes. In this by-election, BJP had fielded former MLA Hemant Patel while NCP had fielded Madhukar Kukde, after forming as alliance with Congress, RPI and Piripa. Apart from them, there were eight independent candidates in the fray.
The voting for Bhandara-Gondia by-poll was marred by controversy over faulty EVMs and VVPATs. Political parties demanded re-election as well, but it did not happen.
NCP's Madhukar Kukade wins. He defeated BJP's Hemant Patle by over 2,000 votes. The ruling BJP had won the Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha constituency in 2014.
In Bhandara-Gondiya, NCP candidate Madhukar Kukde was leading with 85,160 votes while the BJP's Hemant Patle was at second place with 80,131 votes after the fifth round of counting.
According to tv reports, 48,382 votes have been polled in favour of BJP candidate Hemant Patle against 51,219 votes of NCP's Kukade Madhukrao Yashawantrao.
After fourth round of counting , NCP nominee Kukade Madhukrao Yashawantrao is leading by 3,959 votes.
According to tv reports, NCP candidate Kukade Madhukrao Yashawantrao has taken lead by 3,287 votes
Follow Kairana Election Result Live Updates
BJP candidate Hemant (Tanubhau) Patle is ahead of opposition's nominee by 10,000 votes.
According to the Election Commission, in the Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha seat, 413 VVPATs (19.22 per cent of the total machines) besides 43 EVMs and 32 control units malfunctioned at various places on the polling day.
Bhandara-Gondia falls in the Vidarbha region of the state. It comprises six Assembly segments- Tumsar, Bhandara, Sakoli, Arjuni Morgaon, Tirora and Gondia. The constituency was created by the 2008 Delimitation. NCP's Praful Patel won this this seat in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections but lost it to BJP's Nana Patole in 2014.
Initial trend shows that BJP candidate Hemant (Tanubhau) Patle is ahead of NCP's nominee Kukade Madhukrao Yashawantrao, according to TV reports.
Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Pandurang Pundalik Fundkar passed away last night after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was admitted to Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai where he breathed his last. He was a member of Legislative Council. He was inducted in the Devendra Fadnavis ministry in July, 2016.
The Shiv Sena in its mouthpiece 'Saamana' said that the BJP will be defeated in both – Palghar and Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha seats. “The results in Maharashtra won’t be different. The state will put a step forward for change,” it said referring the Gorakhpur and Phulphur bypolls results.
Counting of votes has begun in Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha constituency amid tight security. The BJP and the NCP have locked horns in the bypoll, being held after the resignation of BJP MP Nana Patole. Patole hails from the powerful OBC Kunbi community. He had switched side from the Congress to the BJP and was elected as an MP from the constituency in Vidarbha in 2014 by defeating former union minister and NCP heavyweight Praful Patel. The bypolls were held on May 28. A total of 40 per cent turnout was recorded.
Counting of votes will begin at 8 am. As many as 18 candidates are in the fray. Out of 2,149 polling booths, 71 were situated in Naxal-hit areas and 113 were listed as critical by the Election Commission.