The political scene in Maharashtra is very tense right now because the state is waiting for the results of the November 20, 2024, assembly elections. The votes will be counted on November 23, and both the Mahayuti union, which is in power, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which is in opposition, have a lot at stake [1, 5].
Important Political Events
Setting of the Election
The Maharashtra Assembly elections are very important because they are a race between the Mahayuti alliance, which is made up of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena, which is led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and a part of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar. The MVA is made up of the Congress, the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray group of the Shiv Sena, and another group of the NCP led by Sharad Pawar. This election is especially important because it comes after a rough time when political alliances and realignments have changed many times, leaving many voters disappointed [1, 2, 3].
Guesses Based on Exit Polls
As of today, exit polls show that the Mahayuti party might win, with predictions of between 178 and 200 seats out of 288, while the MVA is expected to get between 82 and 102 seats [4, 6]. However, some polls show that there may not be a clear winner in the assembly election. This could mean that there will be a lot of intense talks and more political maneuvering after the results [2, 3].
Conflicts within the company
There is already fighting going on within both of the main groups, even before the counting starts. For example, there is disagreement over who should be Chief Minister if either party wins it. The head of the Maharashtra Congress, Nana Patole, has said that the MVA government will be led by the Congress. Other MVA leaders, like Sanjay Raut [7][8], have spoken out against this claim. This disagreement shows how competitive politics are in Maharashtra and also shows how tense things can get within party partnerships in general.
1 Voter Participation and Turnout
About 66.05% of eligible voters showed up to vote in this election, which is higher than in previous years and suggests that people are more interested in politics [1, 4]. This rise in participation could be due to a number of things, such as successful campaigning by both alliances and a growing desire among citizens to have a say in how their government runs in the face of economic and social problems.
What this means for Maharashtra’s politics
The results of these polls will have a big impact on the way politics work in Maharashtra. A second term for Mahayuti could strengthen the BJP’s grip on the state and Eknath Shinde’s leadership. On the other hand, if MVA is able to take back power, it could mean a comeback for traditional parties like Congress and change how India’s voters will vote in the future [5, 9].
How People Feel
The public’s mood seems to be mixed; many people are angry about the unstable government and shifting allegiances that have been the norm in recent years. People are paying more attention to candidates than to parties because they don’t trust political systems [6]. This change could make future elections less predicted because voters will put the honesty of each candidate ahead of loyalty to the party.
Bottom Line
All eyes will be on November 23, because Maharashtra is about to get poll results that could change everything. It’s not just the choices voters make that will affect local government; they could also have an effect on India’s politics as a whole as parties change their plans to meet the changing needs of voters. In the days to come, it will be very important to see not only who runs Maharashtra but also how its people interact with their democracy going forward [2, 3].
Citations:
[1] https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/maharashtra-election-live-updates-assembly-elections-2024-result-date-time-bjp-congress-shiv-sena-latest-news-today-101732255958172.html
[2] https://www.ndtvprofit.com/elections/maharashtra-election-results-2024-date-time-where-to-watch-live-and-2019-results
[3] https://indianexpress.com/article/india/maharashtra-election-result-2024-counting-date-time-key-constituencies-results-on-eci-9682806/
[4] https://zeenews.india.com/india/maharashtra-vidhan-sabha-exit-polls-2024-photo-finish-for-bjp-congress-c-voter-says-61-seats-hold-key-2822907.html
[5] https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/maharashtra-election-results-today-2024-live-streaming-telecast-when-where-to-watch-assembly-election-results-at-eci-gov-in/3673258/
[6] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/maharashtra-exit-poll-results-2024-two-more-pollsters-predict-victory-for-mahayuti/articleshow/115533268.cms
[7] https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/maharashtra/maharashtra-assembly-elections-2024-who-will-be-the-next-cm-mahayuti-mva-constituents-drop-different-names-3286980
[8] https://www.timesnownews.com/india/maharashtra-election-2024-news-live-maharashtra-and-jharkhand-election-exit-polls-results-liveblog-115472865
