In the recent Maharashtra assembly elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray won 10 out of the 36 assembly seats in Mumbai, with 3 seats won by a margin of less than 2,000 votes. MNS, even though failing to win any seats and facing derecognition, caused divisions in Mahayuti's vote share in 10 seats, leading to Shiv Sena's victory. This was seen in seats like Worli, Mahim, Bandra East, and Vikhroli, where MNS candidates split the vote, resulting in the win for Shiv Sena candidates.
The Shiv Sena has stated its strong demand for Eknath Shinde to become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, a position he previously held. The party is pushing for a 'Bihar pattern' where Shinde, the leader of the largest coalition party, is given the CM post instead of the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis. The Sena believes that this move will not only be fair, but also prevent its rival (Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray) from gaining popularity and targeting the BJP.
Despite initial confidence in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance's victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut retracts statement and claims the results are not acceptable. This comes as the alliance struggles to maintain their lead against the MahaYuti alliance. In response, BJP Minister Chandrakant Patil extends an invitation to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to rejoin the MahaYuti, stating their comfortable position in forming the next government. The decision for the next chief minister will be made by the top leadership of the BJP and MahaYuti.
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.
In a stunning blow to Uddhav Thackeray's political career, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has emerged victorious in the Maharashtra assembly elections, solidifying his claim as the leader of the "real Shiv Sena". Shinde's faction, part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, is leading in over 200 seats, surpassing Uddhav's faction and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi. Shinde's focus on preserving the party's original ideology seems to have resonated with voters, establishing him as the rightful heir to the Shiv Sena's political legacy.
In the ongoing Maharashtra assembly elections, the son of late politician Baba Siddique, Zeeshan Siddique, is trailing in Vandre East, Mumbai while Shiv Sena's Varun Sardesai is leading by over 5,000 votes. Siddique, who had joined the Ajit Pawar-led faction last month, had accused the Maha Vikas Aghadi of deserting him and his father after the latter was shot dead by the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The bypolls to 48 assembly seats and two parliamentary constituencies in 15 different states are also being counted and results will be declared today. Stay updated with the latest news on NDTV.com and watch live updates on the same.
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.
Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray has spoken out about the recent cash-for-votes controversy surrounding BJP leader Vinod Tawde, suggesting that it may be the result of an 'internal gang war' within the saffron party. Thackeray has called for action to be taken based on the evidence, and has stated that Maharashtra will take action on its own if needed. The BJP, meanwhile, has denied the allegations and has accused the opposition parties of being involved in incidents of violence leading up to the crucial by-elections.
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 move that has incited criticism from the ruling Mahayuti coalition, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has pledged to cancel the controversial Dharavi redevelopment project if his Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition is re-elected in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly election. Thackeray also promised to reclaim land given to Adani Group and issue new tenders for more inclusive and suitable housing for the residents of Dharavi, a densely populated urban slum in Mumbai. The plan, which has been in the works for over two decades, has faced numerous delays and changes, with a recent bid by Adani Realty created uproar due to its higher initial investment. Uddhav's anti-development stance has sparked criticism from his opponents.