Maharashtra Election 2024: Mahayuti Predicted to Retain Power; Athawale Confident of 160-165 Seats

Union Minister and RPI(A) chief Ramdas Athawale expressed confidence on Wednesday that the ruling Mahayuti alliance is poised to secure a clear majority in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. According to Athawale, the alliance is likely to win 160-165 seats."Mahayuti will secure a clear majority with 160-165 seats. The Chief Minister will be from Mahayuti," Athawale told ANI. He highlighted the development achieved under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership over the past decade, stating that Maharashtra received ₹10 lakh crore in central funds. He also credited the state government's efforts under Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar in the last 2.5 years for strengthening Mahayuti's position.

Exit polls have also suggested a strong performance by the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), though they are projected to fall short of the majority in the 288-member assembly. According to the P-MARQ exit poll, Mahayuti is expected to win 137-157 seats, while MVA is predicted to secure 126-147 seats, with others taking 2-8 seats. The Mahayuti alliance comprises the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, while the opposition MVA includes Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP).

The Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the Nationalist Congress Party led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, campaigned on the strength of popular initiatives like the Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme for women, aiming to retain power. The MVA alliance of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (led by Sharad Pawar) focused on key issues such as a caste-based census, social justice, and safeguarding the Constitution.