Maharashtra elections 2024: Maharashtra will make MVA win with simple majority, says Priyanka Chaturvedi

Priyanka Chaturvedi. File pic

As the counting of votes for Maharashtra elections 2024 begins, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi exuded confidence in the Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) victory and remarked that the people of state will ensure the MVA's win, giving the alliance a simple majority and the chance to form the government.

Priyanka Chaturvedi also criticized the ruling Mahayuti's governance over the past 2.5 years, citing corruption, crimes against women, and farmer-related issues.

"Our victory is certain, and we will celebrate as the results unfold," said Chaturvedi. Speaking to ANI, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said, "Initial trends will start coming in now, postal ballots will be counted. I think picture will be clear around 11 am-12 noon. But it is very clear that the people of Maharashtra will make Maha Vikas Aghadi victorious and we will get the opportunity to form government once again with a simple majority."

"The manner in which Maharashtra saw corruption, loot and crimes against women, farmers issues in 2.5 years and the manner in which Delhi was trying to run the government in Delhi, Maharashtra saw that too. Our victory is certain and I believe that as the results come out, we will all celebrate," she added.

Visuals from various counting centres in Maharashtra on Saturday morning showed teams of election officials gearing up for the counting of the votes for the 288 assembly seats that went to the polls on November 20. The counting began at 8 am today.

Arrangements are also in place for counting votes for the Jharkhand assembly polls and bypolls on 48 assembly and two Lok Sabha seats across 15 states. Counting began at 8 am, with trends expected to emerge in Maharashtra and Jharkhand within the next two hours.

In Maharashtra, the Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, is engaged in a fierce contest with the MVA, which includes Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP).

The Maharashtra elections 2024 for the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly took place on Wednesday, recording a turnout of 66.05 per cent, compared to nearly 61 per cent in the 2019 assembly elections. Both Mahayuti and MVA leaders view the increased voter turnout as a positive sign for their respective alliances.

In the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP is contesting 148 seats, Shiv Sena (led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde) 80, and NCP (led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar) 52. Six additional seats have Mahayuti candidates in the fray.

In the MVA alliance, Congress is contesting 102 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) 96, and NCP (SP) 86. The Samajwadi Party and smaller MVA allies are contesting two seats each.

In the 2019 elections, BJP won 105 seats, the undivided Shiv Sena 56, the undivided NCP 54, Congress 44, independents 13, and others 16 seats.In Jharkhand, the first phase of polling was conducted in 43 of the 81 assembly seats on November 13.

Among the constituents of the INDIA bloc, JMM is contesting 43 seats, Congress 30, RJD six, and CPI(ML) four. The BJP is contesting 68 seats, AJSU 10, JD(U) two, and LJP one seat.

In the previous assembly election, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha won 30 seats, the BJP 25, and Congress 16 seats.

The bypolls were also fiercely contested across various states, including Uttar Pradesh, where nine assembly seats saw polling on Wednesday. Bypolls were held in 48 assembly and two Lok Sabha seats across 15 states.

In Wayanad, Kerala, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her electoral debut. The bypolls were conducted in two phases.