Seesaw fight in Belapur: BJP’s Manda Mhatre defeats Sandeep Naik by 377 votes

Sandeep Naik, lad of BJP’s Ganesh Naik, had discontinue BJP and joined NCP(SP) up of the Assembly polls, hoping to wrest Belapur, which helium had mislaid to Mhatre successful the 2014 polls.

As the polling began connected Saturday morning, Mhatre took an aboriginal lead, securing 3,655 votes against Naik’s 2,150 successful the archetypal round.

As the ballot counts from each circular began to trickle in, Mhatre maintained her lead, though it remained constrictive — usually betwixt 2,000 and 3,000 votes.

The counting process began from Vashi and moved towards Belapur. But successful the 19th round, erstwhile boxes from NCP(SP) strongholds similar Nerul and Seawoods arrived, Naik overtook Mhatre by 3,416 votes.

By the extremity of circular 25, Naik had a pb of astir 5,000 votes, with a tally of 86,656 votes compared to Mhatre’s 81,676.
With lone 3 rounds remaining, it seemed similar Naik was connected the way to victory.

As discussions swirled astir the Naik family’s imaginable dominance implicit 2 Navi Mumbai seats—Sandeep’s begetter Ganesh Naik was besides starring successful the adjacent Airoli seat—there was increasing anxiousness among BJP workers.

A BJP idiosyncratic said, “We knew that since the counting started from Vashi, areas wherever Mhatre has a stronghold, similar Diwale Gaon—a tiny sportfishing colony she adopted and developed into a astute village—Agroli village, the NRI Complex, and CBD Belapur, would travel successful the aboriginal rounds. We were tense erstwhile Naik’s pb reached 5,000, but we were assured the last rounds would plaything successful our favor.”

In the 26th round, Mhatre closed the gap, reducing Naik’s pb from astir 5,000 to conscionable 774 votes with 2 rounds left. In the adjacent round, Mhatre surpassed Naik by 146 votes. The BJP campaigner past visited the Agri Koli Bhavan successful Nerul, wherever the counting was taking place.

In the last round, Mhatre’s pb extended to 415 votes. At that point, Naik’s faction requested a recount, taking into relationship the postal ballots, wherever Mhatre trailed Naik by 38 votes.

The last tally showed Mhatre starring by 377 votes, securing her victory.