UPDATED: Oct 28, 2026 23:24 ISTThe counting of votes for Legislative Council elections witnessed a keen contest, with Congress candidate Abhijit Wanjari holding a narrow lead of 1,350 votes over the Bharatiya Janata Party in Nagpur. Across the MLC polls, the Mahayuti alliance secured two seats, while the Nationalist Congress Party Sharadchandra Pawar faction won one seat.

Vote counting continued in key constituencies, including Nagpur and Aurangabad. Ground reports indicated a neck-and-neck fight between Congress and BJP party workers in Nagpur, with multiple counting rounds still pending before the decisive quota could be achieved.

Political panellists highlighted that MLC elections depend fundamentally on ground-level election management, cadre strength, and direct connect with electorates such as teachers, rather than narrative-building on social media. The results arrive following nationwide campaigns by the opposition alleging vote manipulation, prompting scrutiny over party organisation in Karnataka and Maharashtra, while regional allies like the Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal held their ground in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

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Commercial resorts, hotels, and properties are mushrooming across green zones, choking natural slopes meant to absorb heavy snowfall and rain. Despite a blanket ban on construction and strict repair guidelines mandated by the High Court, illegal developments have escalated over the past two years without required building permissions.

Environmentalists and local stakeholders warn of catastrophic consequences akin to recent Himalayan disasters, noting that the destruction of green belts threatens virgin meadows, local flora and fauna, and glacial reserves. Demands have emerged for an anti-corruption inquiry and suo motu High Court intervention to probe an alleged nexus of officials and influential builders.

When questioned on the violations, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also oversees the tourism portfolio, evaded queries regarding the rampant concretisation in Pahalgam.