Maharashtra: BJP's Akshay Kardile defeats NCP-SP candidate in Rahuri Assembly bypoll

Ahilyanagar, May 4 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominee Akshay Shivajirao Kardile on Monday secured a landslide win in the Rahuri Assembly by-election.

The results, declared on Monday confirm that Kardile has successfully retained the seat previously held by his father, the late Shivaji Kardile.

According to official data from the Election Commission of India (ECI), Akshay Kardile dominated the polls from the opening rounds of counting.

He has bagged 1,40,093 votes against the nearest rival Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) nominee Govind Mokate, who received 27,506 votes.

The staggering margin of more than 1.12 lakh votes reflects a major consolidation of the BJP's stronghold in the region, significantly surpassing the 34,487-vote victory margin achieved by his father Shivaji Kardile in the 2024 general elections.

The by-election for the Rahuri seat was necessitated following the untimely demise of veteran BJP leader Shivaji Bhanudas Kardile in October 2025.

The BJP fielded his son, Akshay Kardile, a move aimed at capturing the sympathy wave and maintaining the family's long-standing influence in Ahmednagar district.

The Opposition, led by the NCP-SP, fielded Govind Mokate, but failed to make significant inroads.

The voter turnout for the polling held on April 23 was recorded at 54.80 per cent, a notable drop from the 74.97 per cent seen in 2024, yet the decisive result suggests a one-sided preference among those who cast their ballots.

Incidentally, former Minister and NCP-SP leader Prajakt Tanpure withdrew from the race after he held telephonic talk with the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who assured him necessary government help to implement a slew of development projects suggested by him in the Rahuri Assembly constituency.

Tanpure has added he would take a decision after discussing with his supporters.

This victory is a major boost for the MahaYuti coalition in Maharashtra, coming alongside a parallel by-election in Baramati, where Sunetra Pawar has also maintained a steady lead.

Political analysts suggest that the Rahuri bypoll result serves as a litmus test for the BJP's rural connectivity.

For Akshay Kardile, the victory marks a formal and powerful entry into state politics, ensuring the Kardile legacy remains a dominant force in the Ahmednagar political landscape.

--IANS

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