- The 2024 assembly polls in Maharashtra recorded a voter turnout of 58.22% after the voting concluded for all 288 seats on November 20.

- Maoist-infested Gadchiroli topped the turnout count with 69.63% while Mumbai city recorded the lowest turnout with only 49.07%.

- Sena (UBT) candidate Kedar Dighe, who was contesting against CM Eknath Shinde, was booked for allegedly possessing cash and alcohol and planning to distribute the same in turn of votes.

- The counting of votes is scheduled for November 23.

Following the splits in Shiv Sena and the NCP in 2022 and 2023 respectively, the Maharashtra assembly polls will be a battle is between the factions of the two key regional parties.

For the 2024 polls, each of the factions have teamed up with the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Congress. Congress, Shiv Sena UBT and Sharad Pawar's NCP have teamed up to form the MVA alliance. Meanwhile, Shinde Sena, BJP and Ajit Pawar's NCP have formed the Mahayuti alliance.

Currently, the Mahayuti alliance, led by CM Eknath Shinde is in power and are hoping to retain their position. However MVA and the former Thackeray government is hoping for a strong comeback.

Election wars reached the front pages of Maharashtra’s significant newspapers as the last day of poll campaigning for the high-stake assembly elections came to an end.

The BJP played on the ‘fear factor’ raking up the ghastly terror attacks of the past. In contrast, the opposition Congress-led Mahavikas Aghadi highlighted corruption and ‘anti-Maharashtra’ governance under the BJP rule.

Read more the battle for Maharashtra in the frontpages here.

Of the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra, 234 come under the general category, 29 seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and 25 constituencies are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST).

For the assembly polls, a total of 4,140 candidates are in the fray, including incumbent Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Congress' Nana Patole, Shiv Sena UBT's Aaditya Thackeray and many more

The polls are open! All 9.7 crore voters across Maharashtra can now cast their votes for the next state government. For the 2024 assembly elections, a total of  1,00,186 polling stations across 52,789 locations have been set up.

Of the 9.7 crore voters, 4.97 crore are men, 4.66 crore women, and 20.93 lakh are first-time voters. The polling stations will stay open till 6 PM across the state.

For the 288 assembly seats, two major alliances have been formed in Maharashtra. The first comprises of the incumbent Shinde Sena with BJP and Ajit Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party. This alliance is referred to as the Mahayuti alliance.

Contesting against the Mahayuti alliance is the Maha Vikas Aghadi - comprising of the Indian National Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party.

Throughout the election campaigning, leaders such as PM Modi, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi have been travelling across the state to gather support for their respective candidates and alliances.

Some of the key candidates in the Maharashtra elections are -

• Chief Minister Eknath Shinde from Kopri-Pachpakhadi

• Nana Patole from Sakoli

• Devendra Fadnavis from Nagpur South West

• Aaditya Thackeray from Worli

• Milind Deora from Worli

• Zeeshan Siddique from Bandra East

• Nawab Malik from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar

• Ajit Pawar from Baramati

• Rohit Patil from Tasgaon

In Mumbai’s twin city, another bursting-at-its-seams megapolis, Thane, a departed leader’s legacy is at the heart of an interesting electoral face-off.

Photos of the brooding-eyed and bearded Anand Dighe, a former Sena strongman, stare from rival poll banners featuring both Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the current head of the ‘original’ Shiv Sena, and his main electoral contender, Kedar, Dighe’s 44-year-old nephew, who is contesting from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction.

The two are vying for control of the Kopari-Pachpakhadi constituency, a traditional stronghold of middle-class Maharashtrian families, including residents of old gaothan areas, emerging high-rises, and slum settlements—and, of course, for Dighe’s political legacy.

Read more on the fight in Thane here

With the polls open and voting underway, Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was spotted casting this vote, along with his wife Anjali Tendulkar and daughter Sara Tendulkar in Bandra West, Mumbai.

After casting his vote, the cricketer urged for maximum participation and urged all those eliglbe to cast their vote.

"I would like to appeal people to come out and vote, it is our responsibility. I am also an ECI icon, and I have been saying this. There are good facilities here."

Political parties of all hues are projecting themselves as saviours of vulnerable women from low-income groups. Zooming past Mumbai’s Western Expressway, one can see large hoardings of the ruling Mahayuti and its rival, the Mahavikas alliance, in succession offering increased bids in exchange for their valuable votes in the upcoming assembly elections.

After the Mahayuti coalition’s Chief Minister Eknath Shinde launched the flagship Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana (My Beloved Sister scheme), which doled out a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500, the Mahavikas alliance of the Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the NCP (Sharad Pawar) has promised an increased allowance of Rs 3,000 per month to women under the Mahalaxmi Scheme, alongside free transportation in government buses and Mumbai local trains.

Read more here

As per the latest update from the Election Commission of India, the voter turnout for the Maharashtra assembly polls 2024 stands at 6.61 percent as of 9 AM.

Based on the data available, the highest turnout as been at Gadchiroli at 12.33 percent, followed by Ratnagiri at 9.3 percent.

For the Maharashtrs assembly polls, its Sena vs Sena and Pawar vs Pawar. Following their splits in 2022 and 2023, the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party are the two key regional powers eying for power in the state.

For the 288 assembly seats, two major alliances have been formed in Maharashtra. The first comprises of the incumbent Shinde Sena with BJP and Ajit Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party. This alliance is referred to as the Mahayuti alliance.

Contesting against the Mahayuti alliance is the Maha Vikas Aghadi - comprising of the Indian National Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party.

Veteran politician and NCP (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said the assembly elections will decide Maharashtra's future and appealed to people in the state to exercise their franchise.

Talking to reporters in Baramati town of Pune district after casting his vote, Pawar said all the electors should exercise their right to vote.

"This election is extremely important. It will decide the future of Maharashtra. I appeal to all citizens to come out and vote," he said.

"It is not good that the voter percentage in Maharashtra is less than smaller states in the north east," the former Union minister said.

One of the key constituencies for today's election is Worli. Aaditya Thackeray (Shiv Sena UBT), Milind Deora (Shinde Snea) and Sandeep Deshpande (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena) are contesting for the high-profile assembly seat in Mumbai.

Over in Baramati, a Pawar vs Pawar challenge is set for November 20. Sharad Pawar's grandnephew, Yugendra Pawar will be challenging Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in the seat. The competition is expected to be a tough one, especially because Ajit Pawar has held the seat for seven consecutive years since 1991.

Other key constituencies to watch out for are Latur, Vandre East, Nagpur South West and Kopri-Pachpakhadi.

In the 2019 assembly elections, the NDA coalition - BJP and Shiv Sena won with a total of 161 seats. However, in 2022, the Shiv Sena found itself in a tricky position, ultimately leading to the collapse of the state government and a split between the Thackeray faction and Eknath Shinde faction.

In 2023, the Nationalist Congress Party also split after Ajit Pawar announced his exit from Sharad Pawar's party and joined the alliance with BJP and Shinde Sena

The BJP played on the ‘fear factor’ raking up the ghastly terror attacks of the past. In contrast, the opposition Congress-led Mahavikas Aghadi highlighted corruption and ‘anti-Maharashtra’ governance under the BJP rule.

The BJP ad featured a collage of news clippings and headlines about major bomb attacks that rocked the cities of Mumbai and Pune in 2006 and 2008 during Congress rule, as well as the Palghar Sadhu lynching and Khichdi scam that took place during the COVID lockdown restrictions under Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. At the bottom of the page was its message to the voters: MVA—say no to Congress.

Read full article here

Election authorities on Wednesday replaced as many as 21 electronic voting machines (EVMs) in Maharashtra’s Hingoli assembly constituency after they were found faulty during mock polls, officials said, adding this did not impact the voting process in the booths concerned.

“During this mock drill, 21 electronic voting machines were found faulty, after which they were replaced with new EVMs. This did not impact the voting process at the respective booths,” the official said.

Till 9 am, 7.12 percent voters cast their votes in Basmath and 5.78 per cent in Kalamnuri assembly constituencies, the official said.

(Via PTI)

Ahmednagar- 18.24%

Akola- 16.35%

Amravati- 17.45%

Aurangabad- 18.98%

Beed- 17.41%

Bhandara-19.44%

Chandrapur- 21.50%

Dhule- 20.11%

Gadchiroli- 30%

Gondiya- 23.32%

Hingoli- 19.20%

Jalgaon- 15.62%

Jalna- 21.29%

Kolhapur- 20.59%

Latur-18.55%

Mumbai City- 15.78%

Nagpur- 18.90%

Nanded- 13.67%

Nandurbar- 21.60%

Nashik-18.71%

Osmanabad- 17.07%

Palghar- 19.40%

Parbhani- 18.49%

Pune- 15.64%

Raigad- 20.40%

Ratnagiri- 22.93%

Sangli- 18.55%

Satara- 18.72%

Sindhudurg- 20.91%

Solapur- 15.64%

Thane- 16.63%

Wardha- 18.86%

Washim- 16.22%

Yavatmal- 19.38%

Alongside the Maharashtra assembly elections, the by-poll for the Nanded Lok Sabha seat is underway. In Nanded, the key battle is between Congress and the BJP.

Congress has fielded Ravindra Chavan for the seat and the BJP have Santukrao Hambarde. The by-poll for this Lok Sabha seat are being held after it was vacated by Vasant Chavan following his death.

As of 11 AM, the voter turnout in Nanded stands at 12.59 percent.

As 9.7 crore people head to cast their votes for the Maharashtra assembly elections, here is a look at some of the key issues highlighted in the manifestos released by the key players - MVA and Mahayuti

During the manifesto release event, Kharge highlighted the MVA’s vision for Maharashtra's future, focusing on key issues of agriculture, rural and urban development, health, and public welfare. The manifesto lays out five “pillars” to ensure sustainable development across the state: Agriculture and Rural Development, Industry and Employment, Urban Growth, Environmental Protection, and Public Welfare.

BJP Leader Amit Shah released BJP’s manifesto for the state and stated that it is a reflection of the aspirations of Maharashtra’s people. He lauded the state’s leadership in social reforms and independence and emphasized that the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance would continue to prioritize the dignity of farmers, the poor, and women.

Read more on the MVA, Mahayuti Alliances here

Standing in the scorching heat beside the gate of his old-style three-room mud house, Pravin Madhukarrao Patil wonders what is next for him. “My father killed himself two years ago due to a Rs 5 lakh debt that caused him more stress than he could handle,” says Patil, a 39-year-old resident of Salora village, 25 km from Maharashtra’s Amravati city. “He told us he was going outside for some work. When he did not return a few hours later, I and my wife went looking for him. We found him hanging on a jamun tree near our farm.”

Read more on Outlook's ground report from Maharashtra here.

With the state elections underway, Maharashtrs has reported a voter turnout of 18 percent as of 11 AM. Based on the data issued by the Election Commission of India, Gadchiroli continues to have the highest turnout of 30 percent.

• Ahmednagar- 18.24%

• Akola- 16.35%

• Amravati- 17.45%

• Aurangabad- 18.98%

• Beed- 17.41%

• Bhandara-19.44%

• Chandrapur- 21.50%

• Dhule- 20.11%

• Gadchiroli- 30%

• Gondiya- 23.32%

• Hingoli- 19.20%

• Jalgaon- 15.62%

• Jalna- 21.29%

• Kolhapur- 20.59%

• Latur-18.55%

• Mumbai City- 15.78%

• Nagpur- 18.90%

• Nanded- 13.67%

• Nandurbar- 21.60%

• Nashik-18.71%

• Osmanabad- 17.07%

• Palghar- 19.40%

• Parbhani- 18.49%

• Pune- 15.64%

• Raigad- 20.40%

• Ratnagiri- 22.93%

• Sangli- 18.55%

• Satara- 18.72%

• Sindhudurg- 20.91%

• Solapur- 15.64%

• Thane- 16.63%

• Wardha- 18.86%

• Washim- 16.22%

• Yavatmal- 19.38%

In the 2019 assembly elections, the Mahayuti alliance secured a majority of the votes and formed the state government due to their alliance with the Bharatiya Janta Party.

However, after the results for the 2019 elections were declared, the Shiv Sena withdrew its support for the BJP to form the government. Ultimately, the alliance was broken. With no political party able to stake their claim to form the government, president's rule was invoked in the state.

However, since the BJP was the party with the largest amount of votes, it was invited to form the government and Devendra Fadnavis took over as the CM. Fadnavis formed the government with NCP, but since they failed to secure a majority and had to resign.

Shiv Sena and NCP were also invited to form the government, but all failed to secure votes, resulting in the president's rule once again.

After a special bench was set up by the Supreme Court, Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress staked their claim to form the government and Uddhav Thackeray was elected CM.

However, crisis struck again after a faction of the Shiv Sena - led by Eknath Shinde - joined hands with the BJP in 2022, which ultimately led to Uddhav Thackeray's resignation as CM and Shinde taking over - formalising the split in the party.

As of 1 PM, the voter turnout for Maharashtra stands at 32 percent. Based on the data issued by the Election Commission, the voter turnout in Maharashtra stands at 32.18 percent.

As of 1 PM, here is where the voter turnout stands across Maharashtra -

• Ahmednagar- 32.90%

• Akola- 29.87%

• Amravati- 31.32%

• Aurangabad- 33.89%

• Beed- 32.58%

• Bhandara-35.06%

• Chandrapur- 35.54%

• Dhule- 34.05%

• Gadchiroli- 50.89%

• Gondiya- 40.46%

• Hingoli- 35.97%

• Jalgaon- 27.88%

• Jalna- 36.42%

• Kolhapur- 38.56%

• Latur-33.27%

• Mumbai City- 27.73%

• Mumbai Suburban - 30.43%

• Nagpur- 31.65%

• Nanded- 28.15%

• Nandurbar- 37.40%

• Nashik- 32.30%

• Osmanabad- 31.75%

• Palghar- 33.40%

• Parbhani- 33.12%

• Pune- 29.03%

• Raigad- 34.84%

• Ratnagiri- 38.52%

• Sangli- 33.50%

• Satara- 34.78%

• Sindhudurg- 38.34%

• Solapur- 29.44%

• Thane- 28.35%

• Wardha- 34.55%

• Washim- 29.31%

• Yavatmal- 34.10%

With elections underway, Maharashtra’s seasoned, octogenarian warhorse, Sharad Pawar, doesn’t hold back. In Satara, his speech was muffled on account of the facial deformation that he has sustained in his ongoing battle with cancer.

But his words packed a punch. “Be it 84 or 90 years, this old man will not stop,” he declared, setting off roars from the crowd. Pawar promised that he would not rest until he brings Maharashtra on the “right track”.

For those who’d dared to write him off, the message was clear, with a hint of defiance that he would not relent until the BJP is defeated. As part of the Maharashtra’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which includes the Congress and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-Sharad Pawar) has taken on the lead role in the Opposition’s plot to oust the BJP from power. And the spotlight is now on Pawar.

For Pawar and Thackeray, the upcoming election for Maharashtra’s 288-member legislative assembly is a personal battle. The polls mark a pivotal moment for their political survival as regional parties risk becoming marginalised players against a formidable BJP, say political experts.

Read the full story here.

With voting underway, the who's who of Bollywood have stepped out and cast their vote.

Actor Madhuri Dixit, Kartik Aryan, Lyricist Javed Akthar and many more were spotted across polling booths, casting their vote for the next state government.

NCP Chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said the assembly elections will decide Maharashtra's future and appealed to people in the state to exercise their franchise.

Talking to reporters in Baramati town of Pune district after casting his vote, Pawar said all the electors should exercise their right to vote.

"This election is extremely important. It will decide the future of Maharashtra. I appeal to all citizens to come out and vote," he said.

"It is not good that the voter percentage in Maharashtra is less than smaller states in the north east," the former Union minister said.

Notably, the BJP on Tuesday played purported voice notes of state Congress chief Nana Patole and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule to allege attempts to encash Bitcoins to influence the state elections, claiming it poses a serious question on the conduct of polls in a free and fair manner.

(with PTI inputs)

With polling underway for the Maharashtra assembly elections, the voter turnout has cross reached 45 percent.

As per the data provided by the Election Commission of India, the voter turnout across Maharashtra stands at 45.53 percent as of 3 PM.

As polling continues, the highest turnout has been reported from Gadchiroli at 62.99 percent and the lowest turnout of 38.94 percent has been reported from Thane.

In Mumbai’s twin city, another bursting-at-its-seams megapolis, Thane, a departed leader’s legacy is at the heart of an interesting electoral face-off.

Photos of the brooding-eyed and bearded Anand Dighe, a former Sena strongman, stare from rival poll banners featuring both Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the current head of the ‘original’ Shiv Sena, and his main electoral contender, Kedar, Dighe’s 44-year-old nephew, who is contesting from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction.

The two are vying for control of the Kopari-Pachpakhadi constituency, a traditional stronghold of middle-class Maharashtrian families, including residents of old gaothan areas, emerging high-rises, and slum settlements—and, of course, for Dighe’s political legacy. Dighe was a guru and Shinde his bhakt, while Kedar is eager to tap into his late uncle’s social and political legacy. READ FULL STORY

Maharashtra polls: Unidentified persons fire rounds at Shiv Sena nominee's car in Shrirampur

A firing at a Shiv Sena nominee was reported in Shrirampur. According to PTI report, the police said that three unidentified persons allegedly opened fire at Shiv Sena candidate Bhausaheb Kamble's car in Maharashtra's Shrirampur in the early hours of Wednesday.

Shooters were riding two motorcycles nd targeted Kamble's car near Ashok Sugar Mills. The bullets didn't hit the car and Kamble, police confirmed.

An FIR has been registered at Shrirampur Police Station in Ahilyanagar district.

Kamble is contesting against Congress' Hemant Bhujangrao Ogale.

Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate from Kopri-Pachpakhadi Kedar Dighe has been booked for allegedly possessing liquor and cash. As per the FIR registered at the Kopri police station, Dighe and a few others were apprehended with cash in envelopes and liquor at Ashtavinayak Chowk around 2 am. It has been alleged that they were planning to distribute the money and alcohol to voters, PTI reported.

Dighe, however, has denied the allegations saying “This is an attempt by the opponents to defame me. I had myself taken the car to the police station. After that whatever is happening is politically motivated.”

Kedar Dighe is contesting againstMaharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

A similar case happened on Tuesday, when the Maharashtra police booked BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde and others in connection with the alleged distribution of cash to voters at a hotel in Palghar. READ FULL STORY

As of 5 PM, here is where the voter turnout stands across Maharashtra -

Ahmednagar- 61.95%

Akola- 56.16%

Amravati- 58.48%

Aurangabad- 60.83%

Beed- 60.62%

Bhandara- 65.88%

Buldhana- 62.84%

Chandrapur- 64.48%

Dhule- 59.75%

Gadchiroli- 69.63%

Gondiya- 65.09%

Hingoli- 61.18%

Jalgaon- 54.69%

Jalna- 64.17%

Kolhapur- 67.97%

Latur- 61.43%

Mumbai City- 49.07%

Mumbai Suburban - 51.76%

Nagpur- 56.06%

Nanded- 55.88%

Nandurbar- 63.72%

Nashik- 59.85%

Osmanabad- 58.59%

Palghar- 59.31%

Parbhani- 62.73%

Pune- 54.09%

Raigad- 61.01%

Ratnagiri- 60.35%

Sangli- 63.28%

Satara- 64.16%

Sindhudurg- 62.06%

Solapur- 57.09%

Thane- 49.76%

Wardha- 63.50%

Washim- 57.42%

Yavatmal- 61.22%