Maharashtra witnessed an extraordinary voter turnout in the recently concluded assembly elections, marking the highest participation in three decades. As results begin to trickle in, early trends indicate a strong lead for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance (BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP), which has surged past the halfway mark. Of the nine exit polls conducted, five predicted a comfortable victory for the Mahayuti bloc. Meanwhile, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (NCP(SP)-Shiv Sena (UBT)-Congress) is trailing, though still hopeful for a turnaround as counting continues. The elections are widely seen as a litmus test for the fractured political landscape of Maharashtra, particularly the split within the Shiv Sena and the NCP. If the Maha Vikas Aghadi manages a win, it will face the uphill task of navigating internal differences over the chief ministerial candidate. Leading and trailing candidates Candidate Name Party Name Leading/Trailing Nana Patole Congress Leading Devendra Fadnavis BJP Leading Aaditya Thackeray Shiv Sena (UBT) Leading Milind Deora Shiv Sena (Shinde) Trailing Zeeshan Siddique NCP (Ajit Pawar) Trailing Nawab Malik NCP (Ajit Pawar) Trailing Ajit Pawar NCP (Ajit Pawar) Leading Yugendra Pawar NCP (SP) Trailing Amit Thackeray MNS Trailing Sada Sarvankar Shiv Sena (Shinde) Trailing Jitendra Awhad NCP (SP) Leading Abu Azmi Samajwadi Party Leading Prithviraj Chavan Congress Trailing Sanjay Nirupam Shiv Sena (Shinde) Leading Rohit Pawar NCP (SP) Leading Shameebha Patil VBA Trailing C Bawankule BJP Leading Sreejaya Chavan BJP Leading Sunil Raut Shiv Sena (UBT) Leading With counting underway, the focus now shifts to whether the Maha Vikas Aghadi can narrow the gap or if the Mahayuti will sail to a decisive victory. The final results will not only determine Maharashtra's next government but will also serve as a barometer for the fractured alliances and their political future.
23 November,2024 11:31 AM IST | Mumbai | Anisha ShrivastavaAmid counting of votes for Maharashtra elections 2024, Shiv Sena candidate from Andheri East Murji Patel on Saturday expressed confidence that he would win Andheri East with a margin of more than 20,000 votes, reported ANI. Patel said, "I had the darshan of Ganpati bappa just now. I prayed to Him for Mahayuti Government in Maharashtra once again. I prayed to him for his blessings...I will win Andheri East with a margin of more than 20,000 votes. In last 10 years, the people of Andheri have been hassled. No work was done," reported ANI. The Andheri East Assembly constituency went to polls on November 20. He faces tough contest from Rutuja Ramesh Latke from Shiv Sena (UBT). In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Ramesh Latke won in this seat, reported ANI. Counting began at 8 am on Saturday for the 2024 Jharkhand and Maharashtra Assembly Elections, along with bypoll results from 15 states. The counting, which will decide the fate of the 288 seats in Maharashtra and 81 in Jharkhand, is expected to reveal trends in the first few hours. In Maharashtra, the polling for the Legislative Assembly was held on Wednesday, with a turnout of over 66 percent, surpassing the 61 percent recorded in the 2019 elections. The Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, is in a tough contest with the MVA alliance consisting of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP). Both alliances view the increased voter turnout as a sign of support for their respective campaigns. State Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam praised efforts to increase voter participation, especially in Mumbai. "The Election Commission of India gave significant focus, attention, and time to Maharashtra this time. Each strategy was conceptualised and implemented with high precision. This resulted in a significant addition to the voter list between the Parliament election and the current election. Efforts were made to ease voting, especially in places like Mumbai, where there were challenges during the Parliament elections. This time, everyone appreciated the arrangements," he said. He also thanked nearly 6 lakh officials who ensured smooth voting, reported ANI. The bypolls were held in 48 assembly seats and two Lok Sabha seats across 15 states, with notable contests in Uttar Pradesh and Wayanad, Kerala, where Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her electoral debut. (With inputs from ANI)
23 November,2024 11:28 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentShiv Sena candidate from the Dindoshi Assembly constituency, Sanjay Nirupam on Saturday exuded confidence in his victory, saying "I am confident that I will emerge victorious." He visited the famous Shree Siddhivinayak Temple and offered prayers at the temple. Speaking to reporters here, Nirupam affirmed that Mahayuti will form the government in the state. "I have come here to seek blessings of Shree Siddhivinayak. I am confident that I will emerge victorious with his blessings. Just like me, candidates of Shiv Sena, BJP and Ajit Pawar's party will also win and Mahayuti will form govt in Maharashtra again," Nirupam said. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and candidate from Mahim Assembly constituency, Mahesh Sawant also visited the Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati temple in Mumbai and said, "...I have come here to take blessings." The counting of the votes began at 8 am on Saturday for Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly Elections, along with bypoll results from 15 states. The counting, which will decide the fate of the 288 seats in Maharashtra and 81 in Jharkhand, is expected to reveal trends in the first few hours. Earlier today, moments before the commencement of counting for the assembly polls, Shiv Sena candidate from Mumba Devi assembly constituency, Shaina NC also visited the Shree Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai and offered prayers. Expressing confidence, Shaina NC said that she believes she will be victorious because of the love she received from the people of Mumba Devi. Speaking to ANI, she said, "The way Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar have worked in these two and half years, one thing is clear that people have voted based on their work. It will be history as it will be a hat trick today.... There are a lot of people who work with negative politics and does appeasement politics but we are working with positivity. We have blessings of Maa Mumba Devi and I can say that history is going to be created... from last 15 years there is no development in the constituency... we have came to work and develop... the Chief Minister's Ladki Behen Yojana has definitely benefitted... a lot of things have to be done... I believe I will be victorious because of the love I have received from the public of Mumba Devi." In Maharashtra, the polling for the Legislative Assembly was held on Wednesday, with a turnout of over 66 per cent, surpassing the 61 per cent recorded in the 2019 elections. The Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, is in a tough contest with the MVA alliance consisting of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP). Both alliances view the increased voter turnout as a sign of support for their respective campaigns. 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). Polling for the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly took place on Wednesday, recording a turnout of 66.05%, compared to nearly 61% in the 2019 assembly elections. Both Mahayuti and MVA leaders view the increased voter turnout as a positive sign for their respective alliances. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
23 November,2024 11:24 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIAs 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.
23 November,2024 11:21 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentShiv Sena (UBT) candidate from Wadala, Shraddha Jadhav on Saturday expressed confidence in the victory of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and saying that their victory is certain. She asserted that the Maha Vikas Aghadi will form the government in the state. "Results will come out today. Our victory is certain, you will see it...Maha Vikas Aghadi will form the Government," Jaddhav told ANI. The counting of the votes began at 8 am on Saturday for Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly Elections, along with bypoll results from 15 states. The counting, which will decide the fate of the 288 seats in Maharashtra and 81 in Jharkhand, is expected to reveal trends in the first few hours. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirpuam who is contesting from Dindoshi was seen at the Siddhivinayak Temple early in the morning ahead of the counting of votes. Nirpuam is confident of victory. "I have come here to seek blessings of Shree Siddhivinayak. I am confident that I will emerge victorious with his blessings. Just like me, candidates of Shiv Sena, BJP and Ajit Pawar's party will also win and Mahayuti will form govt in Maharashtra again," he said. The BJP has fielded Kalidas Kolambkar from the Wadala seat in Mumbai for the upcoming Maharashtra elections 2024. Kalidas Kolambkar, an eight-time Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (MLA). Kolambkar, who switched from Shiv Sena to Congress and then to BJP, has not lost a single election since 1990. In Maharashtra, the polling for the Legislative Assembly was held on Wednesday, with a turnout of over 66 percent, surpassing the 61 percent recorded in the 2019 elections. The Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, is in a tough contest with the MVA alliance consisting of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP). Both alliances view the increased voter turnout as a sign of support for their respective campaigns. 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%, compared to nearly 61% in the 2019 assembly elections. Both Mahayuti and MVA leaders view the increased voter turnout as a positive sign for their respective alliances. (With inputs from ANI)
23 November,2024 11:18 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra has collected letters of support from more than 160 of its candidates and some independents, pledging their backing for the alliance in forming a government in the state if voted to power, reported news agency PTI. The counting of votes for the Maharashtra elections 2024 to the 288-member legislative assembly held on November 20 began on Saturday. The letters of support collected from more than 160 candidates will be presented to the governor after declaration of results, sources said, reported PTI. According to the sources, it is a normal practice. Apart from the MVA candidates, some independents and rebels who may win the Maharashtra elections 2024 have also been approached, they said, reported PTI. The MVA comprises the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) of Sharad Pawar and Congress. The Congress had fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) put up 86 nominees in the Maharashtra elections 2024. In the ruling Mahayuti alliance, the BJP contested 149 assembly seats, Shiv Sena 81 seats, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP fielded candidates in 59 constituencies. Counting of votes in the Maharashtra elections 2024 began Saturday morning, with all eyes on the outcome of the battle between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which is seeking to make a comeback. The counting of votes commenced at 8 am in all the counting centres in the state, an election official said. At the counting centres, officials first began verifying and counting the postal ballots, with the counting of EVM votes scheduled to start at 8.30 am. There will be a minimum of 20 rounds of counting in each assembly segment, an official said. The final turnout in the polls, held on November 20, was 66.05 per cent, up from 61.1 per cent in 2019. Counting of votes also began at 8 am for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, where 67.81 per cent voting was recorded on November 20. Kolhapur district led with 76.63 per cent polling, followed by 75.26 per cent in Gadchiroli, which has some Left Wing Extremism affected pockets, while the lowest was in Mumbai island city at 52.07 per cent. Mumbai suburban district recorded 55.95 per cent polling. A total of 288 counting centres have been set up for the counting of votes. (With inputs from PTI)
23 November,2024 11:10 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) National Secretary Vinod Tawde has demanded an apology from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for making "false and baseless" allegations against him in the cash-for-votes incident in Maharashtra and warned that if the two leaders failed to do so, he would sue them for defamation. Congress’s only agenda – to spread lies!I have filed a defamation case against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and their party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate for their baseless allegations in the Nallasopara case. Despite their attempts to tarnish my image… pic.twitter.com/f15Q7qlmDf — Vinod Tawde (@TawdeVinod) November 22, 2024 A day before the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 on Tuesday, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA), a regional party, accused Tawde of distributing Rs 5 crore to woo voters in a hotel in Virar, near Mumbai. The former Maharashtra Minister claiming innocence, said that the alleged amount was not recovered in the probe by the Election Commission and the police. "The Congress only believes in spreading lies, and this incident is a proof of the party's low level politics to dent me and my party's image," Tawde said. Along with Kharge and Gandhi, Tawde has also accused party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate after she seized on the row to accuse BJP of using money power to influence the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024, which concluded on Wednesday. According to news agency PTI, the legal notice sent to the three Congress leaders on the grounds that they were aware that they were pushing a "totally false story fabricated" by them. "You all have deliberately, mischievously with the sole intention of damaging the reputation of our client intentionally fabricated the story distribution of money. You all have published false, baseless allegations against our client on various media for tarnishing his image in the eyes of right thinking people in the society," the notice read. The Congress leaders were in a "great hurry" to damage Tawde's reputation, they did not bother to check the fact despite knowing the entire fact they made the false, baseless allegations, PTI stated quoting the notice. "The entire imputation made by you all are totally false, baseless, malicious and mala fide and as our client is in no way involved in any such illegal activity and as a responsible office bearer of the national political party he is aware of his duties," it added. Tawde has demanded an "unconditional apology" within 24 hours from the time the receipt of the notice, which was sent on Thursday, and published in newspapers and X. If they do not offer apology, then Tawde will initiate criminal proceedings under Section 356, which covers defamation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and also civil proceedings for the damages of Rs 100 crore against the three Congress leaders, the notice said. (With PTI inputs)
23 November,2024 11:01 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentCounting of votes in the Maharashtra assembly elections 2024 began Saturday morning, with all eyes on the outcome of the battle between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which is seeking to make a comeback. The counting of votes commenced at 8 am in all the counting centres in the state, an election official said. At the counting centres, officials first began verifying and counting the postal ballots, with the counting of EVM votes scheduled to start at 8.30 am. There will be a minimum of 20 rounds of counting in each assembly segment, an official said. The final turnout in the Maharashtra assembly elections 2024, held on November 20, was 66.05 per cent, up from 61.1 per cent in 2019. Counting of votes also began at 8 am for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, where 67.81 per cent voting was recorded on November 20. Also Read: Maharashtra Election 2024 results Live Updates Kolhapur district led with 76.63 per cent polling, followed by 75.26 per cent in Gadchiroli, which has some Left Wing Extremism affected pockets, while the lowest was in Mumbai island city at 52.07 per cent. Mumbai suburban district recorded 55.95 per cent polling. A total of 288 counting centres have been set up for the counting of votes. A total of 288 counting observers are overseeing each assembly constituency, with two observers assigned to monitor counting in the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, an official said. The high volume of postal ballots has led to the establishment of 1,732 tables for postal ballot counting and 592 tables for Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) to ensure a smooth counting process across all assembly constituencies, the official said. In the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP contested 149 assembly seats, Shiv Sena 81 seats, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP fielded candidates in 59 constituencies. In the MVA combine, the Congress fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) put up 86 candidates. Parties like Bahujan Samaj Party and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), also contested, with BSP fielding 237 candidates and AIMIM putting up 17 candidates. The number of candidates this time increased by 28 per cent compared to the 2019 state assembly elections. This year, 4,136 candidates contested, up from 3,239 in 2019 elections. Among these candidates, 2,086 were independents. Rebels were in the fray in over 150 constituencies, with candidates from the Mahayuti and MVA contesting against their party's official nominees. There were 1,00,186 polling booths in Maharashtra this time, compared to 96,654 booths in the 2019 assembly elections. Mumbai police have issued an order prohibiting any assembly of people in 300-metre radius of all the 36 counting centres in the city, which comprises 36 assembly constituencies. No person, other than an official engaged with the election process or public servant engaged in duty, shall loiter or form any assembly within 300 metres radius from any counting centre, a police official said. The order is effective till midnight on November 24. The majority mark in the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly is 145, the number any alliance or party needs to crack to be able to form government in the state. The term of the present state assembly ends on November 26. (With inputs from PTI)
23 November,2024 11:01 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAfter Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinod Tawde demanded an apology from Congress leaders and issued a court notice to them, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey criticised him, suggesting that Tawde should instead file a case against BJP's "former ally," the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA), reported news agency ANI. Dubey stated that while it is Tawde's right to file a defamation case against Congress leaders, he should also consider filing a case against BVA leaders Hitendra Thakur and Jagdish Thakur. "If he wants to press defamation charges against Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, he can do so as per the law... it will go to court. But if he truly wants to file a case, it should be against Hitendra Thakur and Jagdish Thakur of BVA, who were your former allies," Dubey said in a self-recorded video, reported ANI. Dubey further alleged that the controversy surrounding the 'cash-for-votes' scandal in Maharashtra arose only after BVA leaders accused Tawde of distributing money. "On November 19, when allegations of cash distribution were made against Vinod Tawde, we saw on television that two Bahujan Vikas Aghadi leaders accused Tawde of distributing money at a hotel. Following this, Congress leaders and MVA leaders commented on these allegations," Dubey said, reported ANI. Earlier, BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde accused Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Supriya Shrinate of attempting to defame him and his party. "Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate claimed that I was caught red-handed distributing Rs 5 crore to voters. They made all kinds of dramatic statements," Tawde told ANI. "They only aimed to defame me and my party. I am deeply hurt. I come from a regular middle-class family and have been in politics for 40 years, but I have never done anything of this nature," he added. Tawde further stated that the Congress leaders "deliberately spread falsehoods" to tarnish his image, prompting him to issue a court notice demanding a public apology. "They deliberately shared this untruth with the media and the public. Hence, I have issued a court notice to them, asking them to apologise publicly or face legal action," he said. On November 19, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) workers caused a commotion outside a hotel in the Nalasopara assembly constituency in Palghar district, Maharashtra, accusing the BJP of "distributing money." Tawde had dismissed these allegations on the same day. (With inputs from ANI)
23 November,2024 10:40 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe BJP-led Mahayuti alliance appears poised for a sweeping victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, securing leads in 204 out of the 288 seats, as per figures provided by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Meanwhile, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is faltering, leading in only 47 constituencies. According to PTI reports, the Mahayuti is on track for a landslide win, with TV channels reporting the alliance ahead in 212 seats, compared to the MVA's 68. Early trends indicate that the ruling coalition, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, is heading for an emphatic victory. The ECI figures show the BJP leading in 111 seats, followed by Shiv Sena in 58 constituencies and the NCP in 35. In contrast, the MVA alliance, comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), trails significantly. Congress is leading in 20 constituencies, the UBT Sena in 18, and the NCP (SP) in only 9. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, is leading in their respective constituencies. Shinde is ahead by 4,053 votes in the Kopri-Pachpakhadi seat. Fadnavis holds a lead of 2,246 votes in Nagpur South-West, while Pawar is ahead by 3,759 votes in Baramati, where he faces competition from his nephew, Yugendra Pawar. Other key candidates have seen mixed results. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole leads by 344 votes in Sakoli. Aaditya Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and sitting MLA, maintains a 495-vote lead in Worli. Conversely, senior Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Prithviraj Chavan are trailing. Thorat is behind by 1,831 votes in Sangamner, while Chavan trails by 1,590 votes in Karad South. The battle between the BJP-led Mahayuti and the opposition MVA has been closely watched, with voter turnout in the November 20 polls recorded at 66.05%, surpassing the 61.1% seen in 2019. As per PTI, the Mahayuti contested the election with the BJP fielding 149 candidates, Shiv Sena contesting 81, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP contesting 59 seats. The MVA fielded 101 Congress candidates, 95 from Shiv Sena (UBT), and 86 from the NCP (SP). The counting of votes, which began at 8 am, will determine the final outcome of this high-stakes election. Early figures suggest a clear mandate for the ruling Mahayuti, signalling continued dominance in Maharashtra politics. (With inputs from PTI)
23 November,2024 10:38 AM IST | MumbaiThe BJP-led Mahayuti alliance surged past the halfway mark in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, leading in 172 of the 288 seats at 10 am, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) trailed significantly, securing leads in just 47 seats, as per trends released by the Election Commission of India (ECI). According to ANI reports, the Mahayuti alliance’s impressive showing includes the BJP leading in 100 constituencies, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in 53, and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 33. Additionally, the Rashtriya Yuva Swabhiman Party (RYSWP), a smaller ally of the bloc, is leading in one seat. In contrast, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, composed of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), is falling behind. Congress has gained leads in 17 constituencies, the Shiv Sena (UBT) in 18, and the NCP (SP) in 12. The Samajwadi Party (SP), another MVA ally, is ahead in two seats, as per ANI reports. Other political entities are also making their presence felt. The Jan Surajya Shakti (JSS) is leading in three constituencies, while the Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWPI) and Swatantra Bharat Paksha (SBP) are leading in two and one seat, respectively. These smaller parties are likely to support the MVA bloc in case of a closely contested result. Counting of votes for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, held on November 20, began at 8 am today, alongside the Jharkhand Assembly elections and bypolls across 15 states. The election outcomes for Maharashtra’s 288 seats and Jharkhand’s 81 seats are expected to be clear by the evening, with trends already giving the BJP-led bloc a commanding lead. The voter turnout in Maharashtra reached an impressive 66 per cent, exceeding the 61 per cent recorded in 2019. Both alliances have interpreted the increased turnout as a signal of public enthusiasm for their campaigns. State Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam, as per ANI, attributed the higher turnout to extensive efforts by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to enhance voter participation. "The ECI implemented meticulously planned strategies to address challenges and encourage voting, particularly in urban centres like Mumbai," he said. "This included a significant increase in the voter list between the Parliament election and the current one. Nearly 6 lakh officials contributed to ensuring smooth and efficient voting." Meanwhile, bypolls were conducted in 48 Assembly constituencies and two Lok Sabha seats across 15 states. Prominent contests included the Wayanad constituency in Kerala, where Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her electoral debut, and key battlegrounds in Uttar Pradesh. As counting progresses, the Mahayuti alliance appears poised to retain its hold over Maharashtra, with the BJP emerging as the dominant force in the coalition. The MVA, however, faces a steep climb if it hopes to narrow the gap in the coming hours. (With inputs from ANI)
23 November,2024 10:26 AM IST | MumbaiADVERTISEMENT
