Sat Nov 23 11:40:00 UTC 2024: ## Mahayuti Sweeps Maharashtra Assembly Elections, BJP’s Fadnavis Poised for CM Return

**Mumbai, [Date]** – The Mahayuti alliance, led by the BJP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, secured a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, winning a commanding majority of seats. Early trends showed Mahayuti leading in over 220 seats, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition trailed significantly.

In Mumbai, key victories included BJP candidates Mangal Prabhat Lodha (Malabar Hill) and Kalidas Kolambkar (Wadala). A closely-watched contest saw Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray triumph in Worli, defeating Shinde Sena’s Milind Deora by over 8,000 votes. However, in Bandra East, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Varun Sardesai secured a win against NCP (Ajit Pawar) MLA Zeeshan Siddique by over 11,000 votes, in a contest that drew national attention following the murder of Siddique’s father.

North Mumbai saw a complete sweep by Mahayuti candidates. Voter turnout in Mumbai and its suburbs was estimated at 49.07% and 51.92% respectively, with variations across constituencies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed gratitude for the “historic mandate” given to the NDA, while Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attributed the victory to the people’s support for Prime Minister Modi’s vision. Speculation about the next Chief Minister intensified, with BJP sources suggesting Fadnavis’s return, countered by Shiv Sena statements supporting Eknath Shinde’s continuation.

The BJP’s impressive win rate exceeded 85%, with Shiv Sena and NCP also showing strong performance rates. However, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut expressed concerns about the results, alleging irregularities and misuse of money power.

The election results mark a significant shift in Maharashtra’s political landscape, highlighting the dominance of the BJP-led alliance and raising questions about the future of the Shiv Sena factions. The next few days will be crucial as the winning alliance finalizes the formation of the new government.

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