Maharashtra council polls was contest between money and people's power, claims Raut

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra legislative council polls, which the Mahayuti swept by winning nine out of 11 seats it contested, was a contest between money and people’s power, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut claimed on Saturday.

The ruling alliance on Friday won all the nine seats it contested in the biennial elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi faced a setback after Peasants and Workers’ Party (PWP) candidate Jayant Patil, backed by NCP (SP), lost due to cross-voting by opposition MLAs.

Twelve candidates were in the fray for 11 seats, of which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won five, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) bagged two each.