India, June 23 -- The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has won 16 of the 17 seats in the state legislative council elections, but the loss of the lone seat, the Nashik seat, could spark fresh tensions between the alliance partners, the BJP and the Shiv Sena - the rebel BJP candidate Gokul Geete, who defeated the Sena's Narendra Darade in Nashik, announced on Monday that he will join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena as an associate member in the legislative council.

In Nashik, Geete defeated the Mahayuti's official candidate, the Sena's Narendra Darade, raising allegations of cross-voting and tacit support from sections of the BJP. Geete, who contested as an independent candidate, secured 357 votes, while Darade polled 248 votes.

The results of ...