Maharashtra assembly polls: Mahayuti leads in 218 seats, MVA ahead in 50

Mumbai: The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance appeared set to retain power in Maharashtra, and was leading in 218 of the 288 assembly seats, as per figures of early trends in the counting the latest figures by the Election Commission.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi was stumbling, with its candidates leading in just 50 seats, as per the early trends.

Indicating a landslide victory for the ruling alliance, TV channels said the Mahayuti was ahead in 222 seats and MVA in 56 constituencies, as counting of votes commenced Saturday morning in the November 20 elections.

As per ECI figures, in the Mahayuti, BJP candidates were leading in 128 seats, Shiv Sena in 55 and NCP in 35 seats.

In the MVA, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidates were leading in 13 seats, Congress in 20 and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) in 17 seats.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were leading in their respective assembly constituencies in the first round of the counting of votes.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and sitting MLA Aaditya Thackeray was leading in Worli assembly seat in Mumbai by 495 votes, the poll officials said.

Congress Legislature Party leader and former minister Balasaheb Thorat was trailing in Sangamner assembly seat by 1,831 votes.

The counting of votes in the Maharashtra assembly elections began at 8 am Saturday, with all eyes on the outcome of the battle between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.

The final turnout in the polls, held on November 20, was 66.05 per cent, up from 61.1 per cent in 2019.

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.

Following is the party position in the outgoing assembly: BJP 105, Shiv Sena 41, NCP 40, Congress 45, Shiv Sena (UBT) 15, NCP (SP) 12, BVA 3, Samajwadi Party 2, AIMIM 2, Prahar Janshakti Party 2, MNS 1, CPM 1, PWP 1, Swabhimani Paksh 1, Rashtriya Samaj Paksh 1, Jan Surajya Shakti 1, Krantikari Shetkari Paksh 1 and Independents 13.