Sun Nov 24 06:02:43 UTC 2024: ## BJP-led Maha Vikas Aghadi Sweeps Maharashtra Assembly Elections

**Mumbai, November 20, 2024** – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition has secured a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, defying pre-election exit polls. The coalition won a staggering 230 out of 288 seats. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprised primarily of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), BJP, and NCP, far surpassed expectations. BJP alone secured 132 seats, while Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena won 55 and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) took 41. The MVA secured 230 seats, compared to 46 for the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and 13 for others.

Voting took place on November 20th, with a voter turnout of approximately 66.05%. While the MVA celebrated their victory, reactions from the opposition were mixed. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut expressed disappointment but vowed to continue the fight. He questioned the jubilation, noting public uncertainty over the results. Other opposition leaders like Nana Patole and Sanjay Raut alleged EVM manipulation, a claim dismissed by BJP leaders like Kirit Somaiya and Pradeep Bhandari who pointed to BJP’s loss in Jharkhand as evidence against this claim.

Several BJP leaders attributed the victory to the success of the “Main Maazi Ladki Bahin Yojana” (My Daughter-Sister Scheme), a welfare program providing monthly cash transfers to women, mirroring Madhya Pradesh’s successful “Ladli Bahana Yojana.” BJP leaders credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and good governance for the win, while Congress leaders pointed to the alleged manipulation of EVMs. The Congress, despite being the largest party in the MVA opposition, suffered its worst-ever performance, winning only 16 seats out of the 101 it contested. NCP also performed poorly, winning only 10 seats out of 86 contested.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari following the win, while CM Eknath Shinde thanked the people of Maharashtra and the BJP leadership for their support. The unexpectedly large victory margin has sparked considerable debate and analysis regarding the future political landscape of Maharashtra.

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