Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: A High-Stakes Battle Between Mahayuti and MVA

India’s financial capital, Mumbai, is voting in the assembly elections in Maharashtra. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das was among the early voters in the city. After casting his vote, Governor Das expressed hope for a high voter turnout.

Great Poll Arrangements: Guv Das

The RBI Governor was full of praise for the Election Commission. Speaking to the media after voting, Governor Das said, “The arrangements (at the polling station) were very good. I congratulate the Election Commission. The elections are being held in the middle of the week, so everyone is expecting a high voter turnout.”

Maharashtra: A Bi-Polar Fight

It’s a bi-polar fight for the Maharashtra assembly, with the Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) locked in a make-or-break battle. While the Mahayuti comprises the BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the key constituents of the MVA are the Congress, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP-SP, and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).

Both the Mahayuti and the MVA have expressed confidence that they will surpass the magic figure of 170 to secure a majority in the 288-seat Legislative Assembly. A total of 4,136 candidates are contesting, with 2,086 independents making up nearly half of the field.

Political Upheaval in Maharashtra

The 2024 assembly elections in Maharashtra are crucial, following five years of intense political rivalry in the state. The past five years have witnessed three government formations. Initially, BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis formed a government that was dramatically short-lived. That was followed by Uddhav Thackeray taking over as Chief Minister with the support of Sharad Pawar’s NCP and the Congress.

However, Uddhav Thackeray’s regime came to a dramatic end in 2022 when some MLAs from his party broke away under the leadership of Eknath Shinde. Shinde later formed a government with BJP support, with Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy. A few months later, Sharad Pawar’s nephew, Ajit Pawar, also split his party, the NCP, and aligned with the Mahayuti.