Shiv Sena (Shinde)'s Ravindra Waikar on Tuesday scripted one of the narrowest victories in the history of Lok Sabha elections when he defeated Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Amol Kirtikar in Mumbai North West constituency.
Amol Kirtikar was initially declared victorious by 2,000 votes. However, Waikar demanded a recounting. Reportedly, 111 postal ballot were cancelled during the recounting. Waikar emerged victorious in the recounting by 39 votes.
Amol Kirtikar had initially secured 402,332 votes, while Ravindra Waikar received 401,084 votes.
Voting in Maharashtra was conducted in five phases across all 48 seats. The voter turnout was 63.71 percent in the first phase, 62.71 percent in the second phase, 63.55 percent in the third phase, 59.64 percent in the fourth phase, and 54.33 percent in the fifth phase. Overall, the state saw a voter turnout of 60.78 percent across all five phases.
When Amol Kirtikar was announced as the candidate from Shiv Sena (UBT) for this seat, Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam opposed the decision. Despite giving an ultimatum to the party, when the seat was allocated to Shiv Sena (UBT) under the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, Nirupam left the party. In the 2019 elections, the Mumbai North West constituency had 21 candidates, with the main contest between Shiv Sena and Congress. Shiv Sena's Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar won the seat again with 570,063 votes, while Congress's Sanjay Nirupam secured 309,735 votes. This time, Gajanan's son Amol Kirtikar clinched the victory.
Under the Maha Yuti alliance, the BJP contested from 28 constituencies in Maharashtra, while its ally Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) contested from 14 constituencies, and Ajit Pawar's NCP from five constituencies. Meanwhile, under the Maha Vikas Aghadi, Shiv Sena (UBT) contested from 21 constituencies, Congress from 17, and Sharad Pawar's NCP from 10 constituencies. Historically, this seat was held by Congress from 1967 to 1977. Renowned lawyer Ram Jethmalani then became the MP from this seat first with the Janata Party and then with BJP. From 1984 to 1996, actor Sunil Dutt held the seat for Congress. Shiv Sena won the seat in 1996 and 1998, but it went back to Sunil Dutt in 1999. After Sunil Dutt's death in 2005, his daughter Priya Dutt won the subsequent by-election.