Maharashtra polls: MNS, Ambedkar's VBA, BSP fail to make any impact

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena of Raj Thackeray and Prakash Ambedkar's Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) have failed to make an impact in polls to the 288-member state assembly as the ruling Mahayuti cruised to a landslide victory.

Parties like the Samajwadi Party and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) were in a slightly better position. The SP bagged two seats while the AIMIM got one seat, as per the results announced on Saturday.

The Bahujan Samaj Party and the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) fielded candidates in 237 and 28 seats, respectively, but failed to make any impact. The BSP, in fact, fielded the highest number of candidates in the state assembly polls.

While the MNS had fielded 125 candidates, the VBA put up 200 nominees. Both parties failed to open account in the state.

Incidentally, on the eve of counting of votes, Ambedkar claimed his party would get a sizable number of seats and would get to choose which side can form the government.

The bad news for the MNS was compounded with the party chief's son Amit Thackeray being decimated to the third place in Mumbai's Mahim seat.

The Raju Shetti-led Swabhimani Paksha, which fielded 19 candidates, also failed to make any impact. It is known to have influence among farmers, especially in western Maharashtra.

The Bachchu Kadu-led Prahar Janshakti Party fielded 38 too but failed to win any seat.

The Samajwadi Party, Jan Surajya Shakti won two seats each. The CPM, the AIMIM, Rashtriya Yuva Swabhiman Party, Rashtriya Samaj Paksh, Peasants and Workers Party and Rajashri Shahu Vikas Aghadi got one seat each.

A total of 158 parties contested the November 20 assembly polls.

The main fight was between the Mahayuti comprising the BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar-led NCP, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi consisting of the Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT).