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.
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.”
आज महाराष्ट्र विधानसभा निवडणुकीच्या सर्व जागांसाठी मतदान होत आहे.राज्यातील सर्व मतदारांना माझे आग्रहाचे आवाहन आहे की त्यांनी उत्साहाने या प्रक्रियेत सहभागी व्हावे आणि लोकशाहीच्या या उत्सवाची शोभा वाढवावी.यावेळी सर्व तरुण आणि महिला मतदारांना आवाहन करतो की त्यांनी मोठ्या संख्येने…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 20, 2024
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.
A total of 4,136 candidates are contesting. Among them are 2,086 independents. Key parties and their seats include:
Maharashtra has about 9.7 crore registered voters.
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).
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.
