Mumbai: Voting for the Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024 commenced on Wednesday morning, marked as a crucial event with potential national implications, under stringent police security.
Early voters included notable figures such as RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Shiv Sena Mumbadevi candidate Shaina Nana Chudasama, and Bollywood actor Akshay Khanna. Many residents, particularly enthusiastic youngsters and first-time voters, lined up outside polling stations in Mumbai, enjoying the cool winter weather.
Throughout the day, over 9.50 crore voters in Maharashtra are expected to cast their ballots, choosing between the ruling MahaYuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi-INDIA bloc.
The ruling alliance consists of the Shiv Sena, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) headed by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. The MVA-INDIA bloc includes the Congress led by Nana F. Patole, the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP, and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).
Candidates, some visibly anxious, began their day early with prayers and blessings before heading to polling stations. Both alliances are optimistic about their chances, with each predicting they could secure between 165-180 seats.
A total of 4,136 candidates are contesting for 288 constituencies, representing both major alliances as well as smaller parties and independents. The BJP is contesting 148 seats, the Shiv Sena 80, the NCP 53, the Congress 103, the SS (UBT) 89, and the NCP (SP) 87, along with six from smaller allies.
The Congress will compete with the BJP in at least 75 constituencies, while the NCP(SP) will face off against the NCP in around 41 seats. The contest between the Shiv Sena-NCP will determine the legitimacy of the SS(UBT) and NCP(SP) following significant political shifts in 2022 and 2023.
The 288 seats are distributed across various regions: 74 in Mumbai and the coastal Konkan belt, 62 in Vidarbha, 58 in Western Maharashtra, 47 in North Maharashtra, and 46 in Marathwada.
Key candidates include CM Shinde (Kopri-Pachpakhadi), Dy CM Fadnavis (Nagpur South West), Dy CM Ajit Pawar (Baramati), Milind Deora (Worli), and others like Nana Patole (Sakoli) and Prithviraj Chavan (Karad South).
Election authorities have made extensive preparations for the polling, with a significant police presence to ensure safety. Security in Mumbai is managed by five Additional Commissioners, 20 Deputy Commissioners, 83 Assistant Commissioners, and a total of 25,000 police personnel, along with additional support from state and central security forces.