BJP emerges largest party in Thane-Palghar with 12 wins; CM's Sena second with 8

Thane/Palghar, Nov 23 (PTI) The BJP managed to make substantial inroads into Thane and Palghar by winning 12 seats in the two districts in the Maharashtra assembly polls, results of which were announced on Saturday.

Its ally Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which is considered the strongest party in the region, managed to win six seats in Thane and two in Palghar.

The BJP won nine seats in Thane and three in Palghar, where it did not have legislator previously. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Samajwadi Party won a seat each in Thane district, while the CPI (M) won from Dahanu (ST) seat in Palghar.

For the BJP, Mahesh Chougule won from Bhiwandi (West), Kisan Kathore from Murbad, Kumar Ailiani from Ulhasnagar, Ravindra Chavan from Dombivili, Sanjay Kelkar from Thane, Ganesh Naik from Airoli and Manda Mhatre from Belapur.

Apart from these, the BJP's Harishchandra Bhoye won from Vikramgad, Rajan Naik from Nallasopara, Sneha Dube from Vasai, Sulabha Gaikwad from Kalyan East and Narendra Mehta from Mira Bhayander.

In Palghar, the BJP wiped out the BVA, with the latter's president and sitting MLA Hitendra Thakur and son Khsitij Thakur losing from Vasai and Nalasopara respectively.

The Shiv Sena's Shantaram More won from Bhiwandi Rural, Vishwanath Bhoir from Kalyan West, Balaji Kinnikar from Ambernath, Pratap Sarnaik from Ovala-Majiwada and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde from Kopri-Pachpakhadi.

Others who won from the CM's party were Rajendra Gavit from Palghar, Vilas Tare from Boisar and Rajesh More from Kalyan Rural.

In Shahapur, Daulat Daroda of NCP was re-elected as MLA, while Jitendra Awhad of NCP (SP) retained Mumbra-Kalwa.

Samajwadi Party's Rais Shaikh retained Bhiwandi East. In Dahanu (ST), Vinod Nikole of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) emerged victorious.

The Shiv Sena (UBT), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Congress drew a blank in the region. PTI COR BNM