Sat Nov 23 19:37:03 UTC 2024: ## Modi Hails Maharashtra BJP Victory as Rejection of Congress, Uddhav Thackeray’s Rule Ends

**Mumbai, Maharashtra –** The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance secured a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, winning over 230 of the 288 seats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the results as a resounding endorsement of the BJP’s governance and a rejection of the Congress party’s “lies and deceit.”

Modi directly criticized the Gandhi family, accusing them of promoting social division and caste-based politics. He also cited the Waqf Act, which the government plans to amend, as an example of the Congress’s alleged undermining of secular principles. He emphasized the success of the “Ek hain to safe hain” (United we are safe) slogan, viewing the Maharashtra win, following a similar outcome in Haryana, as a national mandate.

Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) suffered a crushing defeat, winning only around 20 seats. Thackeray himself admitted to being surprised by the results, five months after the MVA’s success in the Lok Sabha elections. He acknowledged a failure to understand the simmering discontent within his party regarding the alliance with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

The Congress, also significantly defeated, expressed surprise at the outcome, attributing their loss to unexpected factors requiring further analysis. BJP president J.P. Nadda attributed the victory to the continued support for Prime Minister Modi and the Mahayuti alliance, criticizing Uddhav Thackeray for betraying the 2019 mandate.

The victory celebrations were widespread, with BJP leaders highlighting the win as a testament to development and good governance. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar emphasized the smooth transition to a new government. While the exact composition of the new government remains to be finalized, the Mahayuti alliance has secured a clear majority. The results mark a significant shift in Maharashtra’s political landscape, consolidating the BJP’s dominance in the state.

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