BJP Triumphs in Vidarbha: Major Upsets for Congress and NCP

In Maharashtra's Vidarbha region, Congress and NCP faced significant losses. Anuja Kedar, wife of Congress leader Sunil Kedar, and the son of former NCP minister Anil Deshmukh were defeated by BJP candidates Ashish Deshmukh and Charansingh Thakur in Saoner and Katol assembly seats, respectively.

The political landscape of Maharashtra's Vidarbha region witnessed a seismic shift as the Congress and its ally NCP (SP) suffered major electoral defeats. In the Saoner assembly seat, a Congress bastion, Anuja Kedar, wife of seasoned Congress leader and former minister Sunil Kedar, was defeated by BJP's Ashish Deshmukh, who emerged victorious by 26,401 votes.

Ashish Deshmukh, son of two-time MLA Ranjit Deshmukh, secured 1,19,725 votes against Anuja Kedar's 93,324, marking a significant political comeback after unsuccessfully contesting against Sunil Kedar in 2009. Sunil Kedar, who has represented Saoner four times since 2004, was unable to contest due to his conviction in a bank scam.

In Katol, another assembly seat, the BJP continued its winning streak as Charansingh Thakur defeated Salil Deshmukh, son of former NCP minister Anil Deshmukh. Thakur captured 1,04,338 votes, significantly outpacing Salil Deshmukh's 65,522. This result marked a reversal of the 2019 elections, where Anil Deshmukh had defeated Thakur by 17,057 votes.

(With inputs from agencies.)