Today marks a critical day for Maharashtra as the state holds assembly elections for 288 seats. With the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance determined to retain power and the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance hoping for a strong comeback, the competition is intense. Over 4,000 candidates, including rebels from both alliances, are in the fray. Stay tuned for live updates as the voting process unfolds.
Maharashtra Assembly Elections: A Battle for Power
Background
Maharashtra, India's second most populous state, is set to hold elections for its 288-member Legislative Assembly on October 21, 2024. The incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance, which includes the Shiv Sena, aims to retain power, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, consisting of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and the Indian National Congress (INC), hopes to make a comeback.
Current Situation
Over 4,000 candidates, including rebels from both alliances, are contesting in the elections. The high-stakes contest has drawn intense competition, with both the Mahayuti and MVA alliances engaging in vigorous campaigning. The voting process has already begun and the results will be declared on October 24.
Top 5 FAQs and Answers
Q: What is the Mahayuti alliance?
A: The Mahayuti alliance is a coalition of political parties led by the BJP. In Maharashtra, it includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and other smaller parties.
Q: What is the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance?
A: The Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance is a coalition of political parties led by the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). In Maharashtra, it includes the Shiv Sena (Utt), the NCP, and the INC.
Q: Who is the Chief Minister of Maharashtra?
A: The incumbent Chief Minister of Maharashtra is Eknath Shinde of the BJP. He took office in June 2022 after the collapse of the previous MVA government led by Uddhav Thackeray.
Q: When were the last Maharashtra Assembly elections held?
A: The last Maharashtra Assembly elections were held on October 21, 2019. The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance won 161 seats, while the NCP and INC won 54 and 44 seats respectively.
Q: What are the key issues in the current elections?
A: The key issues in the current elections include unemployment, inflation, farmer distress, and corruption. Both the Mahayuti and MVA alliances have made promises to address these concerns.
The ruling Mahayuti alliance is set for their third straight term in Maharashtra as they lead with 234 seats. PM Modi has praised their victory, while CM Eknath Shinde and Dy CM Ajit Pawar express their gratitude to the people. Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc is leading with 56 seats in Jharkhand, with JMM's Hemant and Kalpana Soren emerging as winners. In Maharashtra, BJP has won 125 seats, Shiv Sena has won 55, and NCP has won 40, while in Jharkhand, the BJP has won 24. Despite some internal disputes, the alliance has come out victorious with a strong lead in both states.
Aaditya and Amit Thackeray, political cousins in Maharashtra, have had varied outcomes in the latest assembly elections. While Aaditya managed to win a second term with thanks to his uncle's influence, Amit lost out on his maiden polls and can attribute some of the loss to his own uncle's decision. This highlights the complicated family politics at play in India and the impact it has on election results. The strongholds of Worli and Mahim saw three-way contests, with the MNS's entry proving to be a game-changer. The close margins highlight that a direct face-off between Aaditya and rival Milind Deora or between Mahesh Sawant and Eknath Shinde Sena can produce different results.
In a historic victory, Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his party registered a stunning win in the Jharkhand Assembly Elections, securing 56 out of the 81 seats. Their landslide victory was attributed to the popularity of schemes like Mukhyamantri Maiyan Samman Yojana, which provided financial assistance to rural women voters. Soren, who faced corruption charges and was released on bail, has vowed to transform the state into a "golden Jharkhand" and continue with the coalition government.
The Maharashtra Assembly Election Results 2024 are in, and the incumbent Mahayuti alliance, led by Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde, is poised for another victory. With a lead over the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, the Mahayuti looks set for a landslide win. Follow WION's website for the latest coverage on the election, and read on to find out what Prime Minister Modi has to say about the NDA's victory.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Priyanka Gandhi secured a convincing victory in the Wayanad constituency, surpassing her brother Rahul Gandhi's victory margin in the same seat earlier that year. Despite attempts by rivals to discredit Rahul, Priyanka's victory felt like an "annihilation" for them. This victory shows the unwavering support for the Gandhi family in Wayanad and their dominance in Indian politics.
In the recent Maharashtra Assembly polls, the Congress-NCP alliance leads in almost 80% of the seats, while the MNS party fails to secure even a single seat. NDA also wins big in Assembly bye-elections, with Trinamool Congress sweeping West Bengal. The Indian media's coverage of the violence in Canada has raised questions about its alignment with Hindutva ideology.
The Mahayuti party has secured a landslide victory in Maharashtra's assembly elections, winning two-thirds of the seats. In a joint press conference, CM Eknath Shinde took a dig at Uddhav Thackeray's government, saying that a government cannot work through Facebook. The CM also highlighted the party's achievements in the past 2.5 years, including the completion of important projects that were halted by the MVA. NCP leader Ajit Pawar credited the party's victory to the "Ladki Bahin" scheme, which proved to be a gamechanger. The opposition's calls for using ballot paper in elections were slammed by Pawar, who pointed out their changing stance based on their own interests.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has responded to Congress' claims of EVM irregularities in Jharkhand by calling out their inconsistent stance on the matter. He highlighted the party's tendency to only question the integrity of the EVM process when the results aren't favorable to them. Shinde also reaffirmed the public's support for Shiv Sena's win in the recent elections.
According to the latest figures from the Election Commission, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is leading in 217 seats out of 288, almost halfway through the counting process. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi appears to be struggling, with only 50 seats in their favor. BJP leader Kalidas Kolambkar from Wadala has already been declared as the winner in the first result announced. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived at BJP headquarters to celebrate the party's victory, with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari expressing confidence in their ability to form a government. BJP leader Pankaja Munde stated that the public's rejection of fake narratives and acceptance of the politics of development has led to a significant victory for the Mahayuti alliance.
With the Jhunjhunu bypoll results set to be announced on November 23, 2024, the race is on to see who will be elected as the next Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from this important Assembly constituency in Rajasthan. With a total of 11 candidates in the fray, including big names from major political parties like the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the stakes are high. In the previous election, INC's Brijendra Singh Ola emerged victorious, but with many new candidates vying for the seat, it remains to be seen who will come out on top in 2024. Stay updated with live result updates on the day of the bypoll to find out who will win and who will lose.