Nana Patole resigned as Maharashtra Congress president on Monday following the party’s dismal performance in the recently concluded state assembly elections. The Congress managed to win only 16 of the 103 seats it contested, marking its worst-ever showing in the state. Patole narrowly retained his seat in the Sakoli constituency of Bhandara district, winning by just 208 votes.
The election results delivered a resounding victory for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, which secured 232 seats, well beyond the 50-seat majority mark. In stark contrast, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)—comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP—suffered a crushing defeat. Congress’ share of seats plummeted from 44 in the previous elections, raising questions about the party’s role and strategy within the coalition.
Patole had taken charge of the Maharashtra Congress in 2021 and was initially seen as a strong leader after the party’s success in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where it won 13 out of 17 seats in the state. However, internal disputes within the MVA alliance, particularly over seat-sharing arrangements, created friction ahead of the assembly elections. Tensions reportedly escalated when some alliance leaders refused to engage in discussions if Patole was part of the negotiations.
Just days before the election results, Patole made a bold assertion that Congress would lead the next MVA government, a claim that reportedly irked key allies, including Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut. However, the election outcome proved devastating for the alliance, with voters delivering a decisive mandate against their governance.
The BJP’s victory in Maharashtra solidified its political dominance, building on its recent historic hat-trick in Haryana. Of the 149 BJP candidates fielded, 128 emerged victorious, cementing the Mahayuti alliance’s stronghold in the state. In the aftermath of the defeat, Patole’s resignation became the first major casualty, highlighting the internal reckoning the Congress must undergo to rebuild its footing in Maharashtra’s political landscape.