Maharashtra, which went to the polls on November 20 to elect a new 288-member assembly, recorded a voter turnout of 65.11% according to the Election Commission’s updated figures. This marks the highest participation rate in the state since 1995, when 71.69% of voters cast their ballots.
The turnout on Wednesday exceeded the 61.39% recorded during this year’s Lok Sabha elections and surpassed the 61.4% in the 2019 assembly polls. The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance aims to retain power, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition hopes to build on its performance ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Exit polls predict a return to power for the Mahayuti alliance, although the final results will be announced on November 23. Voter turnout in previous assembly elections in Maharashtra was 61.5% in 2019, 63.5% in 2014, 59% in 2009, and 63% in 2004.
In the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP contested 149 seats, Shiv Sena 81, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP fielded candidates in 59 constituencies. On the other hand, the opposition MVA alliance saw the Congress contest 101 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) 86. Political dynamics in Maharashtra have shifted dramatically since the 2019 elections, with notable splits in major parties, including the Shiv Sena in 2022 and the NCP in 2023.