The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance appeared set to retain power in Maharashtra, and was leading in 215 of the 288 assembly seats, as per the latest figures by the Election Commission. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi appeared stumbling, with its candidates leading in 52 seats, as per the early trends.
As per ECI figures, in the Mahayuti, BJP candidates were leading in 125 seats, Shiv Sena in 55 and NCP in 35 seats. In the MVA, the Congress was leading in 22 seats and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) in 17 and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) in 13 seats.
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. In the MVA combine, the Congress fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) put up 86 candidates.
“We don't accept this as people's mandate; something is fishy in election results. Even people must be wondering how to accept this mandate.” Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said on the poll trends.
Among the key candidates from both the alliances, former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was leading from Nagpur South West with 7630 votes, chief minister Eknath Shinde was leading with 19,135 votes after four rounds of counting. Key candidates such as Nawab Malik, Milind Deora and Zeeshan Siddiqui (son of deceased leader Baba Siddiqui) were all trailing at the end of the fourth round of counting of votes.
In the high stakes battle at Worli, UBT leader and son of Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray was leading by 398 votes against Shiv Sena’s Milind Deora.
In Vandre East constituency, Zeeshan Siddiqui of the NCP was trailing by 3,839 votes against Varun Sardesai of UBT.
At the Pawar family bastion of Baramati, NCP’s Ajit Pawar was leading by 15,382 votes against Yugvendra Pawar of the NCP (SP).
In Mankhurdh-Shivajinagar constituency, the fight was between sitting MLA from Samajwadi Party Abu Azmi, who was leading by 375 votes against his competitor Ateeque Ahmad Khan of AIMIM. Nawab Malik, of the NCP was trailing by 17,544 votes.
Counting of votes begins
Counting of votes in the Maharashtra assembly elections 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.
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
