Mumbai: The electoral battle in the Bhandup constituency unfolded as a fierce and closely contested affair between two rival factions of Shiv Sena. In a high-stakes showdown, Ashok Patil, the Mahayuti candidate and former MLA, was locked in a neck-and-neck race with the incumbent Ramesh Korgaonkar from Shiv Sena (UBT).
As the rounds of counting progressed, the lead constantly shifted, keeping both camps on edge. However, in the final four rounds, Patil surged ahead, ultimately defeating Korgaonkar with a decisive lead of 6,764 votes. This marked a turning point, as Shiv Sena (UBT) lost its bastion in Bhandup, ceding the constituency to Shiv Sena (Shinde).
About Past Electoral Battles
Bhandup has long been a stronghold of Shiv Sena, primarily due to its Marathi-speaking voter base. In 2014, Ashok Patil won the seat as the MLA from undivided Shiv Sena, while in 2019, Ramesh Korgaonkar claimed victory for the same party. However, following the division of Shiv Sena in 2022, Bhandup West witnessed its first direct contest between the two factions of the party.
As part of the Mumbai North East constituency, Bhandup also recorded its highest voter turnout in recent history, with a remarkable 61.12%. Party workers from both factions were seen actively encouraging voters to head to the polls, ensuring high engagement from the local community. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) also entered the fray by fielding its local candidate Shirish Sawant, further intensifying the competition.
In the 2019 election, Korgaonkar secured a decisive victory, winning the Bhandup seat with a lead of 41,224 votes against Congress candidate Suresh Koparkar. This time, however, the contest was much more closely contested. Korgaonkar maintained a steady lead in the early rounds of counting, staying ahead of Ashok Patil until the 11th round. However, the margin of difference began to narrow gradually. By the 6th round, the lead had shrunk to just 200 votes.
Although Korgaonkar continued to hold the lead until the 11th round, Patil surged ahead in the 12th round, overtaking him by 623 votes. From that point, the lead fluctuated slightly with each subsequent round, but by the 18th round, the trend became clear, signaling the eventual loss for Korgaonkar. The entry of MNS into the race proved to be a setback for Shiv Sena (UBT). While MNS candidate Sawant ultimately lost, his presence in the contest had a major impact by splitting 23,335 votes.
