Massajog sarpanch bypoll: Swarupanand Deshmukh defeats Santosh Deshmukh’s widow by 92 votes

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Swarupanand Deshmukh won the high-profile Massajog sarpanch byelection on Wednesday, defeating Ashwini Deshmukh, the widow of slain former sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, by a margin of 92 votes in a contest that drew statewide attention following the brutal murder that triggered the bypoll.Of the 2,044 registered voters, 1,744 cast their ballots, registering a strong turnout of about 84%. Swarupanand Deshmukh secured 914 votes, while Ashwini Deshmukh received 822 votes. Eight voters opted for NOTA.The bypoll was necessitated after the abduction and murder of Santosh Deshmukh. Despite expectations that the sympathy factor would favour Ashwini Deshmukh, voters backed Swarupanand Deshmukh, who had narrowly lost the previous election to Santosh Deshmukh by just nine votes.Polling was held on Tuesday under tight security, and results were declared on Wednesday morning. Swarupanand Deshmukh maintained a lead from the first round of counting and remained ahead through all three rounds to seal the victory.The election saw intense campaigning over the past 15 days, with both candidates conducting door-to-door outreach. Attempts were also made by Santosh Deshmukh's family to have the election declared uncontested, but Swarupanand Deshmukh chose to remain in the fray, a decision that drew criticism from the former sarpanch's brother, Dhananjay Deshmukh.Speaking after the results, Swarupanand Deshmukh said the verdict reflected the village's faith in him. "I had said from day one that my voters stand with me. This is a victory of my young supporters, my workers, and the self-respecting voters of my village," he said.He added that despite allegations against him, the electorate supported his leadership and vision, and reiterated his commitment to the fight for justice in Santosh Deshmukh's murder case. Most politicians from Beed district and the region refrained from commenting on the outcome, while Dhananjay Deshmukh was unavailable for comment.