Sena-BJP tally rises to five from three in Raigad district

The Shiv Sena and BJP have increased their tally in the coastal Raigad district by winning five of the total seven Assembly constituencies in the just concluded elections in Maharashtra.

While the Shiv Sena won in three constituencies, its senior ally BJP secured two seats this time.

In the 2014 elections, the Sena had won two seats and the BJP one in the district located adjoining Mumbai.

The NCP and an independent candidate also bagged one seat each this time.

Although the district was once considered a stronghold of the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP), it could not win even a single seat this time.

In Alibag, the district headquarters, Mahendra Hari Dalvi of the Shiv Sena defeated sitting PWP MLA Subhash Patil.

In Uran, rebel BJP candidate Mahesh Baladi, who contested the election as an independent, defeated sitting Shiv Sena MLA Manohar Bhoir. Former MLA Vivekanand Patil of the PWP was also among the losers.

In Panvel, sitting BJP legislator and chairman of the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) Prashant Thakur defeated PWP candidate Haresh Keni.

The Mahad assembly segment saw sitting Shiv Sena MLA Bharat Gogawale retaining his seat. He won the constituency for a third straight time, defeating his nearest rival Manik Jagtap, president of the Raigad district unit of the Congress.

In Shrivardhan, NCP candidate Aditi Sunil Tatkare, who is currently president of the Zilla Parishad (ZP), won by a margin of over 38,000 votes. She defeated Vinod Ghosalkar of the Shiv Sena.

In Pen, former Cabinet minister Ravindra Patil, who recently joined the BJP, defeated sitting PWP MLA Dhairyshil Patil.

In Karjat, Mahendra Thorve of the Shiv Sena defeated sitting NCP MLA Suresh Lad.