Maharashtra election live updates: Fissures over CM picks; Cong rejects exit polls

Maharashtra election live: Congress has appointed Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel, and G Parameshwara as observers for Maharashtra to monitor the post-election situation.

The vote counting for the Maharashtra assembly elections will begin at 8 am on Saturday, with attention focused on the results of the contest between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which is aiming for a comeback.

Maharashtra election live: Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat asserted on Friday that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), consisting of Congress, NCP (led by Sharad Pawar), and Shiv Sena (UBT), will form the next government in Maharashtra. Ahead of the vote counting for the Maharashtra assembly elections on Saturday, Thorat, who is the Congress' top candidate for the CM post, stated, "We (MVA) will have no difficulty in confidently and easily forming the next government in the state."

Maharashtra election live: Confident of a victory for the MVA alliance in Maharashtra, Congress General Secretary Sachin Pilot said on Friday that there would be no issues among alliance partners in deciding the Chief Minister's post once a majority is secured. He added that it would take no more than a day to "figure out who will get what position."

Pilot, who was assigned the Marathwada region and campaigned extensively in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and other constituencies with ongoing bypolls, dismissed exit polls suggesting that the BJP alliance would win a majority in these states.

In an interview with PTI a day before the results, Pilot stated that the outcomes of the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections, along with bypoll results in various states, would serve as a "reality check" for the BJP and the NDA.

Ahead of the counting of votes for Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale says, "...The work of Maha Vikas Aghadi [mva] is to make allegations and our work is to develop the country and the people, we will benefit from this in the Maharashtra elections...people are with us and according to the exit polls, the Mahayuti government will be formed...we will not face any problem in forming the government. The Mahayuti government will definitely be formed in Maharashtra. Our government will fulfil its promises..."

Confident of an Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance's win in Maharashtra, Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot on Friday said there would not be any issue among alliance constituents in deciding on the CM post after getting a majority and it would not take more than a day to "figure out who will get what position".

Pilot, who was given the charge by the party in the Marathwada region and campaigned extensively in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and in constituencies where bypolls are taking place, dismissed indications by exit polls that the BJP alliance in the two states would get a majority.

In an interview with news agency PTI a day before the results, Pilot said the results of the assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand as well as to the bypolls in various states will provide a "reality check" to the BJP and the NDA.

Ahead of the counting of votes for Maharashtra Assembly elections, BJP leader Raosaheb Patil Danve says, "There is no strategy. BJP and alliance will get clear majority. We are going to form our Government...There will be no need to do anything, when we are going to get majority, why should we speak with anyone? Those who want to come with us after the formation of our majority government, can come with us..."

On Exit polls, NCP-SCP leader Clyde Crasto said, "We saw what happened to the exit polls in Haryana assembly elections...The public of Maharashtra has already made its decision. In the Lok Sabha elections also, the public voted for Maha Vikas Aghadi and rejected Mahayuti. In the assembly elections also, the public has supported us (Maha Vikas Aghadi)..."

The Mumbai police on Thursday issued an order prohibiting any assembly of people in 300-metre radius of all the 36 counting centres in the city, which comprises 36 assembly constituencies.

No person, other than an official engaged with the election process or public servant engaged in duty, shall loiter or form any assembly within 300 metres radius from any counting centre, a police official said.

The order is effective from 6 am on November 21 till midnight on November 24, the police said.

(via PTI)

Ahead of the counting for Maharashtra elections which will be taking place tomorrow, a poster in Pune depicting NCP chief and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar as the chief minister was reportedly taken down. The poster was placed by party leader Santosh Nangare, according to news agency ANI.

On Shiva Sena (UBT)'s claim that they (MVA) will secure 160 seats in Maharashtra elections, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said, “The election results will be out by this time tomorrow. They (Shiv Sena-UBT) are nervous, that’s why they are making such claims.”

Here are the exit poll projections by some key pollsters so far:

1. People's Pulse:

Mahayuti (BJP+): 182

Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress+): 97

Others: 9

2. Matrize:

Mahayuti (BJP+): 150-170

Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress+): 110-130

Others: 8-10

3. P-Marq:

Mahayuti (BJP+): 137-157

Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress+): 126-146

Others: 2-8

4. News 24- Chanakya:

Mahayuti (BJP+): 152-160

Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress+): 130-138

Others: 6-8

5. Lokshahi Marathi-Rudra:

Mahayuti (BJP+): 128-142

Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress+): 125-140

Others: 18-23

6. Times Now-JVC:

Mahayuti (BJP+): 150-167

Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress+): 107-125

Others: 13-14

7. Poll Diary

Mahayuti (BJP+): 122-186

Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress+): 69-121

Others: 12-29

8. Electoral Edge

Mahayuti (BJP+): 119

Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress+): 155

Others: 14

9. Axis My India:

Mahayuti (BJP+): 178-200

Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress+): 82-102

Others: 6-12

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents have decided to house all its newly elected MLAs together in Mumbai after the Maharashtra election results tomorrow, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said on Friday.

The move is aimed at preventing poaching ahead of government formation.

Talking to reporters, Raut said MVA leaders, including himself, his party colleague Anil Desai, NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil and Congress leaders Satej Patil and Balasaheb Thorat met on Thursday and carried out an assessment of every seat.

(via PTI)

For those looking to stay updated, the results can be tracked on various platforms, including live updates from trusted news sources. While results will be available on the website of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and across all major news channels, including hindustantimes.com, which will be providing real-time comprehensive coverage of the election results through including detailed live blogs.

In addition to ECI website ,TV broadcasts and news websites, election results can also be tracked on YouTube channels of news channels.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Friday dismissed exit polls, saying he is confident of INDIA bloc's victory in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Some exit polls gave an edge to the ruling Mahayuti alliance, while some projected an easy win for the bloc.

Maharashtra, Jharkhand results will provide 'reality check' to BJP, NDA: Congress's Sachin Pilot told news agency PTI on Friday.

The BJP is contesting 149 seats, Shiv Sena 81 seats, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has fielded candidates in 59 constituencies. In the opposition alliance, the Congress has fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and the NCP (SP) 86.

The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), while the opposition MVA comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).

Voting for the Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024 took place in a single phase on November 20, with a voter turnout of about 66.05 being recorded. Mumbai City recorded the least polling, with a turnout of 52.65 per cent, while the highest was recorded at Gadchiroli.

The majority mark in the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly is 145, the number any alliance or party needs to crack to be able to form government in the state.

A day ahead of vote-counting, fissures have reportedly emerged within the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on who will head the next government with constituents in both camps laying claim over the chief minister's post.

Soon after polling concluded on Wednesday, state Congress chief Nana Patole asserted an MVA government would be formed in Maharashtra under the leadership of his party.

Voting trends suggest the Congress will get the maximum number of seats in the new assembly, he said. His remarks did not go down well with ally Shiv Sena (UBT), whose leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday insisted the chief ministerial face will be decided by all alliance partners jointly once the MVA secures majority.

On the Mahayuti side, Shiv Sena MLA and party spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat said the assembly elections were contested with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the face. On the other hand, BJP leader Pravin Darekar batted for Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for the top post.

(with PTI inputs)

Most pollsters have given an edge or predicted a comfortable victory for the Mahayuti alliance, comprising the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024, while some have projected a close fight with the MVA with an edge to the ruling bloc.

Voting for the Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024 took place on November 20, while counting of votes for the same is scheduled to take place on November 23, coinciding with the Jharkhand Assembly polls results.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance will sweep the Maharashtra Assembly elections, projections by Pradeep Gupta's Axis My India exit polls said on Thursday. The ruling alliance, which comprises Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar camp of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is projected to win 178-200 seats in the 288-member assembly.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) is projected to bag 82-102 seats, Axis My India predicted. Read More

Counting of votes for the high-stakes Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024 will take place on Saturday, November 23, three days after voting happened in a single phase on all 288 seats of the state.

With the total number of seats in the Maharashtra Assembly being 288, the majority mark that a party or an alliance needs to hit to be able to form government in the state is 145. The BJP is contesting 149 seats, Shiv Sena 81 seats, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has fielded candidates in 59 constituencies. In the opposition alliance, the Congress has fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and the NCP (SP) 86.