The counting of votes for the high-stakes Maharashtra assembly elections began at 8 am today, with all eyes on the results. By 9:03 AM, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was leading by 4,500 votes.
Party-wise Leads:
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): 4 seatsNationalist Congress Party (NCP): 4 seatsShiv Sena: 3 seatsNCP – Sharadchandra Pawar faction: 2 seats
In the 288-seat Maharashtra assembly election, the key contest is between the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti alliance—comprising BJP, Shiv Sena, and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction)—and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). Most exit polls have predicted a significant win for the Mahayuti alliance, which is aiming to retain power, against the MVA.