Nagpur: After days of intense contest and internal disagreements, the elections for the Vidarbha Sahitya Sangh (VSS) were finally concluded on Sunday. Veteran candidate Girish Gandhi emerged with a decisive lead and is set to become the new president of the literary body.
According to the results of the final counting round, Gandhi secured 2,661 votes, establishing a comfortable margin over his rivals. Pradeep Datey finished in second place with 1,187 votes, while Shripad Joshi stood third with 701 votes. Other candidates, including Ravindra Shobhane and Ranjan Darvhekar, received 205 and 114 votes respectively.
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Mar 13 2026 - Time 11.45Hrs
With Gandhi maintaining a clear lead from the very first round of counting, his victory was considered almost certain even before the final announcement. The outcome has stirred significant discussion within Nagpur’s literary circles, given the prolonged contest and debates surrounding the election.
The election process had been underway for several days, with voting conducted primarily through postal ballots by members associated with the organization. The Vidarbha Sahitya Sangh had dispatched 7,493 ballot papers to registered voters. However, 2,007 ballots were returned due to incorrect addresses.
Out of the remaining ballots, 506 voters verified their identity and cast their vote, while a total of 4,935 voters ultimately exercised their voting rights. Among them, 1,529 ballots were received via post, 505 voters cast their vote separately, and 2,831 representatives participated in the voting process. Meanwhile, 1,501 voters did not vote due to various reasons.
The counting of votes took place on Sunday at the Vidarbha Sahitya Sangh office in Nagpur. From the first round itself, Gandhi maintained a steady lead, which continued through the subsequent rounds and culminated in a clear victory in the final tally.
The new leadership is expected to shape the future direction of one of Vidarbha’s most influential literary institutions.
