Voting for the Maharashtra Assembly elections started at 7 AM on Wednesday and will end at 6 PM. The election is taking place across 288 constituencies.
PM Modi Urges Voters
Before the polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to vote on social media platform X. He posted, “Today, votes will be cast for all the seats in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. I urge the voters of the state to participate with full enthusiasm and add to the splendour of this festival of democracy. On this occasion, I appeal to all the youth and women voters to come out in large numbers to vote.”
Security Measures in Place
Security is tight in Mumbai. The police have deployed over 25,000 personnel, including riot-control teams. They are conducting vehicle checks in areas like Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar and Dharavi. Over 2,000 officers are on duty to ensure law and order.
Candidate Details
A total of 4,136 candidates are contesting. Among them are 2,086 independents. Key parties and their seats include:
- BJP: 149 seats
- Shiv Sena: 81 seats
- Congress: 101 seats
- NCP (Sharad Pawar faction): 86 seats
- Shiv Sena (UBT): 95 seats
- BSP: 237 seats
Maharashtra has about 9.7 crore registered voters.
Campaign and Alliances
The campaign has been intense with shifting alliances and ideological battles. The main contest is between the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The Mahayuti includes BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction). The MVA includes Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).
Previous Election Results
In the 2019 elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena 56, and Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP secured 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and Congress 42.
The results of today’s vote will decide the future of Maharashtra’s leadership.