At Least Seven Maharashtra Ministers, Including Deputy Speaker, Lose Assembly Elections

Mumbai: At least seven ministers in the BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra have lost the Assembly elections.

As the results came in on Thursday, the BJP-Sena alliance had won or was leading on 160 seats.

Sena leader and Deputy Speaker in the Legislative Assembly Vijay Auti lost to Nilesh Lanke of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) from Parner.

The most significant upset was witnessed in Parli, where Women and Child Welfare Minister Pankaja Munde of the BJP, locked in a bitter fight with her estranged cousin and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde, lost.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah had addressed rallies in Parli during the campaign.

Water conservation minister Ram Shinde lost to NCP chief Sharad Pawar's grand-nephew Rohit Pawar in Karjat-Jamkhed. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had addressed two rallies in the constituency.

Minister of state for dairy development Arjun Khotkar, a Sena leader, lost from Jalna.

Another Sena leader, minister of state for water conservation Vijay Shivtare, lost from Purandar seat to Sanjay Jagtap of the Congress.

Sanjay alias Bala Bhegade of the BJP, minister of state for labour, lost from Maval to the NCP's Sunil Shelke.

Jaydutt Kshirsagar of the Sena -- a former NCP leader -- lost to his nephew Sandeep Kshirsagar of the NCP in Beed.

Agriculture minister Anil Bonde was defeated by Devendra Bhuyar of the Swabhimani Paksh from Morshi.

Minister of state for energy and BJP leader Madan Yerawar was trailing in Yavatmal, but the result was yet to be declared.