Maharashtra
MVA, BJP pray for ‘political miracles’, 225 MLAs vote in MLC polls
Voting for the biennial elections to 10 seats of Maharashtra Legislative Council continued with both the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi and Opposition Bharatiya Janta Party praying for a ‘political miracle’ for the one crucial seat on which there’s a main contest among 11 candidates, here on Monday.
Emerging from their five-star weekend retreats, the legislators of MVA allies Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress and BJP were driven in buses to the Maharashtra Legislature at Nariman Point with senior leaders keeping a close watch on their respective flocks.
Polling started on a brisk note with over 225 MLAs across party lines casting their votes under the eagle eyes of their respective polling agents by 1 p.m.
A total of 11 candidates are vying for the 10 MLC seats vide the electoral college comprising 288 MLAs, though effectively 285 shall vote in the elections on Monday (June 20).
The MLC elections are witnessing a thriller contest with the prime contest between Congress’ Bhai Jagtap and BJP’s Prasad Lad, both vying for the crucial 10th seat.
Jagtap, 66, is a trade unionist heading the Bharatiya Kamgar Karmachari Mahasangh (BKKM) and President of Mumbai Congress, while Lad, 51, is an ex-MLC and ex-chairman of Mumbai Buildings Repair and Reconstruction Board.
Of the 288-member strong lower house, one Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Latke died recently, while two NCP MLAs Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik – currently in jail – were denied permission by Bombay High Court to vote for the MLC polls and have now moved the Supreme Court.
The quota for winning – depending on the actual votes cast – would be 26 or 27 per candidate, and the votes of 29 MLAs of smaller parties or independents are expected to be the clinching factor.
The MVA has fielded Sachin Ahir and Amasha Padvi (Shiv Sena), Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar and Eknath Khadse (Nationalist Congress Party), Chandrakant Handore and Bhai Jagtap (Congress).
The BJP has nominated Pravin Darekar, Prof Ram Shinde, Shrikant Bhartiya, Uma Khapre and Prasad Lad.
With a strength of 106, the BJP can comfortably bag four of the five seats it is contesting and the battle will be for Lad’s candidature vis-A-vis Jagtap.
The Sena with 55 legislators and NCP with 51 MLAs can easily win their two seats respectively, while the Congress with 44 legislators would require around a dozen votes from the independents, smaller parties or its allies.
Both MVA and BJP are desperately wooing the independents and smaller parties though the Samajwadi Party, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen and Bahujan Vikas Aghadi have kept their strategies close to their chest.
Maharashtra
Impact of Maharashtra Bandh: Student protests intensify in Mumbai, road blockades in Chembur and Kurla, police alert, Chief Minister orders action

Mumbai: Due to the Maharashtra bandh in Mumbai Shivaji Park, Kurla, Chambor, Chunabhatti, Mankhurd and other suburban areas, the VBA took out a protest demanding the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan. Meanwhile, the police detained protesters from Chembor, Kurla and other areas and later released the protesters. The normal system in Mumbai remained affected due to the Maharashtra bandh, but schools, colleges and public transport were running as usual. Along with this, in the Kurla area of Mumbai, women protesters took to the streets and blocked the road in protest against the Net Paper Leak issue, due to which the traffic system was affected. Later, the police removed the women from the road and normal life returned to normal. The Maharashtra bandh has affected normal order in various areas of Mumbai. The Thackeray brothers and Amit and Aaditya Thackeray have also supported the protesters in Shivaji Park. Now the Thackeray brothers have made it clear in the press conference that they will march on July 26. If anyone tries to create chaos or stone pelting or violence like Delhi, they will not be tolerated and the MNS will respond to it. Along with this, Raj Thackeray has announced a peaceful protest and has threatened the government that if any attempt is made to create unrest in this protest, it will be responded to. Today, several protesters and leaders were detained during the protest.
Police driver threatens to implicate students in drug case
After the video of Shivaji Park threatening to implicate students in drug case went viral, an inquiry has been started against the constable in this matter and in this matter, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that the inquiry of the constable is going on and he has been removed from here. It is unfortunate that the video has gone viral in this matter. Devendra Fadnavis said that under the guise of this protest, Uddhav Thackeray is trying to save his existence. He said that in Maharashtra too, the paper has been leaked in the Uddhav Thackeray government.
Maharashtra
A public movement in Mumbai warns against UP government’s action on Jauhar University! Meeting of scholars and intellectuals at Islam Gymkhana, appeal to the state governor to intervene

Mumbai: The Uttar Pradesh government’s order to demolish parts of Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur has drawn strong reactions in Mumbai. An important meeting was held today at the famous ‘Islam Gymkhana’ in Mumbai against this action. The participants made serious allegations and said that instead of establishing new centers for higher education, the government is destroying an institution that shapes the future of thousands of students. The speakers in the meeting stressed that this issue is not limited to a single building but is related to the educational future of thousands of students, the education system and the rights of minorities. They were of the view that if there were any technical irregularities in the operations or construction of the university, the government should have tried to correct them within the legal framework and save the institution. Instead of finding any constructive solution, this action is being taken only in the spirit of political revenge. The meeting unanimously condemned this unfair policy in the strongest terms. Important resolutions were passed in the meeting to determine the future course of action. It was decided that a delegation would immediately meet the Governor of Maharashtra and submit a memorandum, urging him to direct the Uttar Pradesh government to intervene in the matter. A warning was also issued that if the government took further action against Jauhar University, a massive public movement would be launched in Mumbai. This important meeting was attended by a large number of prominent scholars, social workers, and intellectuals of Mumbai, including MLAs Abu Asim Azmi, Yousuf Abrahani, Meraj Siddiqui, Maulana Anis Ashrafi, Aamir Idrisi, Saleem Alwar, Saeed Hamid, Sarfaraz Arzoo, and Dr. Zeba Malik.
Maharashtra
Modak Sagar Lake, which supplies water to Mumbai, also overflowed, with the total water storage in all 7 lakes at 69.74% capacity.

Mumbai: Modak Sagar Lake, one of the seven lakes supplying water to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) area, started flowing at 2:07 am today (July 23, 2026). The BMC’s Hydraulic Engineering Department said that a gate of the lake has been opened. The water level in the reservoir has increased rapidly due to continuous, heavy rainfall in the areas occupied by the lakes over the past few days. The maximum water storage capacity of Modak Sagar Lake, which started flowing from tonight, is 12,892.5 crore litres (128,925 million litres). In previous years, Modak Sagar Lake started flowing on July 9, 2025, July 25, 2024 and July 27, 2023.
The total maximum water storage capacity of the seven dams supplying water to Mumbai is about 1,44,736.3 crore litres (1,447,363 million litres). As of 6:00 AM today, the total water storage in all seven lakes is 1,00,943.2 crore litres (1,009,432 million litres). This water storage is 69.74% of the maximum water storage capacity of the lakes, which is 1,447,363 million litres.
Additional Information
1) The Modak Sagar Project, built on the Vetarna River in Shahpur taluka of Thane district, is a key water source meeting the drinking water needs of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
2) The construction of the project was completed in 1954, and it is managed by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
3) Located 120 km from Mumbai, the project has a structure length of 548.64 metres and a height of 82.296 metres.
4) The total catchment area is 450.625 sq km, and it contributes 11.22% to the total water supply provided to Mumbai.
5) Out of the seven lakes supplying water to the BMC area, Modak Sagar Lake has started flowing from today. Ahead of this monsoon season, Tansa Lake started flowing at 8:51 am on July 22, 2026. ‘Vihar’ Lake started overflowing at 9:00 pm on July 7, 2026, and ‘Tulsi’ Lake also started flowing at 11:43 pm on the same day (2026). Thus, as of July 23, 2026, four of the seven lakes supplying water to the BMC area have filled and overflowed.
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