Maharashtra election results trending in UK
What's the story
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has crossed the majority mark in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, early trends on Saturday showed. The coalition is leading in over 200 seats, well above the required 145-seat majority in the 288-seat assembly. This marks a major improvement for the BJP from its 2019 performance when it had only bagged 105 seats.
International spotlight
Maharashtra election results draw global attention
The Maharashtra election results have caught international attention, trending in the United Kingdom, especially England and Scotland. Pradeep Gupta's Axis My India had predicted a clean sweep for Mahayuti with an estimated win of 178 seats. But actual trends indicate a much bigger victory for the ruling alliance. This difference raises questions about the reliability of exit polls, something which is already a concern.
Election breakdown
Mahayuti alliance leads, MVA trails in Maharashtra elections
The Mahayuti coalition includes the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction). Meanwhile, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance consists of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). According to early reports, the MVA is trailing with leads in only 59 seats. The election recorded a voter turnout of 66.05%, up from 61.1% in 2019.
Voter participation
Maharashtra elections witness high voter turnout
Kolhapur district saw the highest voter turnout at 76.63% while Mumbai island city had the lowest at 52.07%. The election is particularly significant as it comes after splits in both Shiv Sena and NCP factions. The BJP contested 149 seats while its allies Shiv Sena and NCP contested 81 and 59 seats respectively. Meanwhile, Congress fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (Sharad Pawar) 86.
Election landscape
Other parties also participate in Maharashtra elections
Other parties such as Bahujan Samaj Party and AIMIM also joined the fray, with BSP fielding 237 candidates and AIMIM putting up 17 candidates. As counting continues, Maharashtra's political landscape is set for a possible change with Eknath Shinde likely to remain chief minister if the current trends hold.