Sat Nov 23 09:15:10 UTC 2024: **Mahayuti Coalition Projected to Win Maharashtra Assembly Elections in Landslide Victory**

MUMBAI, INDIA – Preliminary results from the Maharashtra Assembly elections indicate a resounding victory for the Mahayuti coalition, a BJP-led alliance that includes factions of the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). With vote counting underway, the Mahayuti is projected to secure a historic win, surpassing the previous record of 200 seats.

As of 2:45 pm, the Mahayuti held a commanding lead in 231 of the state’s 288 seats. The opposing Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, comprised of the Congress, and factions of the Shiv Sena and NCP, is currently ahead in only 51 seats.

The BJP, the dominant party within the Mahayuti, is leading in 132 of the 149 seats it contests. Eknath Shinde’s faction of the Shiv Sena leads in 55 out of 81, while Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction is ahead in 40 of 59.

Prominent figures from the Mahayuti are performing strongly. Eknath Shinde holds a significant lead over his opponent, while Ajit Pawar is far ahead in his contest against his nephew. Aaditya Thackeray, son of former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, also maintains a substantial lead. However, Zeeshan Siddiqui, contesting for Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction, is trailing his opponent.

The MVA’s performance is considerably weaker. The Congress is leading in only 18 of the 101 seats it is contesting, Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction in 11 out of 86, and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena faction in 20 out of 95.

These results are significantly better than most exit polls predicted. While many exit polls favored Mahayuti, only a few projected such a large margin of victory. This outcome has sparked debate, with some questioning the accuracy of pre-election surveys.

Voter turnout for the single-phase election on Wednesday reached 65.1 percent, the second highest since 1995. Both alliances interpreted this high turnout as a sign of their impending success.

The race for the Chief Minister’s post is already generating significant speculation within both alliances, with various figures within the BJP, Shiv Sena factions and NCP vying for the top position.

The 2019 election saw a BJP-Shiv Sena victory, but the subsequent power-sharing dispute led to a significant political realignment that resulted in the current coalition formations. The 2024 election marks a decisive shift in the political landscape of Maharashtra.

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