Mumbai: Polling for the Maharashtra assembly elections began on Wednesday morning, with the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance striving to retain power and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) aiming for a strong comeback.
Voting is underway across all 288 assembly seats from 7 am to 6 pm, and the counting of votes is scheduled for November 23, according to election officials. Over 9.7 crore voters will choose from 4,136 candidates contesting this election.
Within the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP is contesting 149 seats, Shiv Sena 81, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP 59. Meanwhile, in the opposition MVA, the Congress has fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) 86. Smaller parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and AIMIM are also in the fray, with BSP fielding 237 candidates and AIMIM 17.
The election campaign featured high-profile leaders such as Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and several Union ministers rallying across the state. The Mahayuti coalition, comprising BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s NCP, is relying on initiatives like the Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme to secure voter support.
However, the BJP’s slogans “Batenge toh katenge” and “Ek hai toh safe hai” have drawn criticism from opposition parties, who accuse the Mahayuti of using divisive rhetoric to polarize voters. The MVA, which includes Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), condemned these statements, with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and PM Modi facing particular backlash. Even Ajit Pawar, a key BJP ally, distanced himself from the slogans. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis later attempted to clarify their intent, adding to confusion within the ruling coalition.
The MVA countered the ruling alliance’s campaign by focusing on issues like caste-based census, social justice, and constitutional protection, seeking to connect with voters feeling overlooked by the government.
Ahead of the polls, the BJP launched an ad campaign targeting the opposition, urging voters to “Say No to Congress.” The campaign referenced incidents such as the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and the Palghar lynching of sadhus.
This election sees a 28% increase in the number of candidates compared to 2019, with 4,136 candidates contesting this year, including 2,086 independents. Rebel candidates are contesting in over 150 constituencies, challenging official nominees from both the Mahayuti and MVA alliances.
As of October 30, the state has 9.7 crore registered voters, including over five crore men, nearly 4.7 crore women, and 6,101 transgender voters. Among them are 6.4 lakh Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and 1.16 lakh service voters from the armed forces.
Maharashtra has set up 1,00,186 polling booths, up from 96,654 in 2019, to accommodate the rise in voters. Approximately six lakh state government employees are deployed for election duties.
