After securing a landslide victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections, leaders of the Mahayuti alliance, including CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, addressed a press conference to express their gratitude. They thanked PM Modi for his support and pledged to continue focusing on the development of the state. BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis also denied any contention over the CM's post and credited the alliance's victory to the support of the people and PM Modi's strong leadership.
In a heated electoral clash between the Pawar family members, Ajit Pawar has emerged as the victor with a commanding lead over his uncle Sharad Pawar's faction. With a strike rate of 61.02%, this victory cements Ajit Pawar's position as a strong contender in the electoral landscape. However, with the BJP outdoing expectations with leads and wins in 130 seats, questions arise about the upcoming chief ministerial pick in Maharashtra. The split in the NCP family has created consequences that are drastically different for both factions, with this being the first election after their vertical split.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar's election campaign in Maharashtra has been focused on the color pink, symbolizing feminine energy and garnering support from women voters. As the Mahayuti alliance leads in the state, Pawar's party is performing well in 36 constituencies, including his own in Baramati where he is currently leading with a significant margin. This victory holds extra significance for Pawar, who is using the color pink to not only claim victory, but also to avenge the perceived betrayal by his uncle and political rival Sharad Pawar. The use of this strategic color scheme in his campaign has also been seen in his wardrobe, with reports claiming that he owns 18 pink jackets. Ultimately, the success of the NCP's pink campaign could help decide the fate of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra.
The split between Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP has resulted in over 70 seats being flipped from their parent parties to the BJP in the Maharashtra Assembly election. This has dealt a major blow to the opposition alliance, Maha Vikas Aghadi, which has only managed to secure 53 seats so far. Without these 70 seats, the opposition stands no chance against the dominant BJP, which is on course for its best ever score in the state. The BJP is expected to rely on these offshoots for a majority in the assembly, potentially leaving the Maha Vikas Aghadi out of reach.
Aditi Tatkare, daughter of senior NCP leader Sunil Tatkare, has emerged as the first victor of the 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls after securing a massive victory from the Shrivardhan constituency. This victory is a major boost for the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, which was formed after a split with the party founded by Sharad Pawar. In other election news, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis has also secured a win in his constituency. The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is set to retain power in the state, leading in 218 of the 288 seats, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi is leading in only 50 seats.
The nation watches with bated breath as the Election Commission of India begins counting votes for the Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, along with by-polls in several states. The results of the polls will determine the fate of top leaders in the respective states, including Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar, Aaditya Thackeray, Hemant Soren, Kalpana Soren, Babulal Marandi, and Priyanka Gandhi, among others. With the majority mark at 145 and 41 in Maharashtra and Jharkhand respectively, the outcome of the elections will have a significant impact on the future of these states. Stay tuned to https://results.eci.gov.in for live updates.
The much-anticipated Maharashtra Assembly Elections for 2024 kicked off on Wednesday, with all 288 constituencies heading to the polls. With a total of 4,140 candidates in the running, the real competition lies between the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and Mahayuti alliances. The MVA, composed of Shiv Sena (under Uddhav Thackeray), NCP (led by Sharad Pawar), and Congress, is going head to head with Mahayuti, which includes Shiv Sena (under Eknath Shinde), NCP (under Ajit Pawar), and BJP. Mark your calendars for key dates of the election: Gazette Notification on October 22, Last Date for Nominations on October 29, Nomination Scrutiny on October 30, Last Date for Withdrawal of Nominations on November 4, and Voting Day on November 20.
As Maharashtra gears up for the upcoming Assembly elections, national leaders take a backseat as state leaders become the focal point of the political landscape. With marquee leaders like Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena and Devendra Fadnavis of BJP fighting for their own dominance, the role of regional leaders becomes crucial. Amidst this, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar faces the heat while Uddhav Thackeray struggles to establish himself as the real Shiv Sena leader. The Congress also adopts a localised strategy, leaving the NCP camp to rely on the master strategist, Sharad Pawar. With multiple factors at play, the Maharashtra elections have become a highly contested battle with each of the 288 constituencies being influenced by distinct issues.
In a bold move, the NCP led by Ajit Pawar has nominated Nawab Malik, a former minister with alleged ties to underworld kingpin Dawood Ibrahim, as their candidate from the Mankhurd Shivajinagar constituency. This nomination has ignited a political firestorm, with the BJP vehemently opposing Malik's candidacy and threatening to not campaign for him. Despite this, Malik is confident in his chances and is grateful for the support of his party.
Amid speculation of stepping aside for his younger son, NCP chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will be contesting the upcoming Assembly election from Baramati constituency, which is considered a stronghold of the Pawar family. The NCP, in alliance with BJP and Shiv Sena, announced its first list of 38 candidates, including 26 sitting MLAs. Ajit Pawar is expected to face a challenge from his nephew, Yugendra Pawar, who is contesting from NCP (SP).