The BJP-Shiv Sena combine seems to be headed back to office in Maharashtra, with trends showing the alliance leading in 165 seats in the 288-member state assembly. Interestingly, the strong showing of Shiv Sena and a reduction in the seats of BJP may give the Uddhav Thackeray-led party a bargaining chip for more prominence during government formation as well as the deputy chief minister’s post.
The BJP-Shiv Sena combine seems to be headed back to office in Maharashtra, with trends showing the alliance leading in 165 seats in the 288-member state assembly. Interestingly, the strong showing of Shiv Sena and a reduction in the seats of BJP may give the Uddhav Thackeray-led party a bargaining chip for more prominence during government formation as well as the deputy chief minister’s post.
Shiv Sena, which contested on 126 seats, is leading on 64, one above the 63 it won in the 2014 elections. However, after four hours of counting, trends show BJP is leading only on 101 seats, way below the 122 it won in the previous elections.
n fact, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut made the party’s intentions clear of playing hardball, saying they had agreed upon a 50-50 formula ahead of the elections. “It will be a BJP-Shiv Sena government. There is no two opinion about it. We got the full mandate. Seats may increase or decrease in an election. We will talk to Uddhav ji, he will then speak with the Chief Minister. We have agreed upon a 50-50 formula,” Sanjay Raut told reporters.
While Raut is known for shooting from the lip, there is also a groundswell of enthusiasm sweeping through the Sena cadre across Maharashtra at a time when the BJP has played the “big brother”. The dominant sentiment prevailing among the workers is that if the party nears or crosses 80 seats in the 288 member Assembly, it will push the BJP hard.
However, the bigger picture is that Devendra Fadnavis is set to return as Chief Minister for a second term, riding on infrastructural development and the hangover of this year’s Lok Sabha results, where the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance bagged a total of 41 out of the 48 seats. The narrative has been embellished by the Narendra Modi government’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
From being the country’s youngest mayor at 27 through four terms as MLA from Nagpur South West, the CM’s political journey is dotted with many milestones, but it is his Maha Janadesh rallies that turned him into a real leader of the masses.
Despite aggressive campaigning by BJP in Western Maharashtra, the Congress-NCP alliance has managed to take a lead in 40 of the 71 seats while the saffron combine is ahead in 23 seats. Meanwhile, in NCP citadel of Baramati, Sharad Pawar’s nephew and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has won by over one lakh votes. The Pawars have not lost an election in Baramati for the past 50 years.
According to latest trends, the NCP is leading in 29 seats while the Congress is leading in 11 seats. The BJP has been held up at 17 seats, Shiv Sena in 11 seats and remaining seats are led by Independents. State NCP chief Jayant Patil is leading in Islampur, Suman Patil in Tasgaon and NCP’s Rohit Pawar is also ahead in Karjat-Jamkhed. Congress candidate Vishwajeet Kadam is all certain to retain his Palus seat.
Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan continues to lead in Karad South while sitting Congress legislator Prantit Shinde is trailing in Solapur. State Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat too has taken the lead in Sangamner.
Coming to India’s financial hub, the BJP-Shiv Sena combine are leading in 16 and 13 seats respectively in the 36 constituencies of Mumbai. The BJP contested 17 seats and the Shiv Sena 19 in the city. In 2014 , the BJP won 15, and the Shiv Sena 14 seats in the city.
Sena scion Aaditya Thackeray, the first Thackeray to contest any election, is leading by a handsome margin from Worli and looks set for his maiden election victory. Congress, which had five sitting MLAs from the city, is leading in four constituencies, while NCP’s Mumbai president Nawab Malik is leading from Anushakti Nagar. BJP’s heavyweight candidate and minister Ashish Shelar is leading in Bandra west against Congress’ Asif Zakaria.
Shiv Sena, which contested on 126 seats, is leading on 64, one above the 63 it won in the 2014 elections. However, after four hours of counting, trends show BJP is leading only on 101 seats, way below the 122 it won in the previous elections.
n fact, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut made the party’s intentions clear of playing hardball, saying they had agreed upon a 50-50 formula ahead of the elections. “It will be a BJP-Shiv Sena government. There is no two opinion about it. We got the full mandate. Seats may increase or decrease in an election. We will talk to Uddhav ji, he will then speak with the Chief Minister. We have agreed upon a 50-50 formula,” Sanjay Raut told reporters.
While Raut is known for shooting from the lip, there is also a groundswell of enthusiasm sweeping through the Sena cadre across Maharashtra at a time when the BJP has played the “big brother”. The dominant sentiment prevailing among the workers is that if the party nears or crosses 80 seats in the 288 member Assembly, it will push the BJP hard.
However, the bigger picture is that Devendra Fadnavis is set to return as Chief Minister for a second term, riding on infrastructural development and the hangover of this year’s Lok Sabha results, where the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance bagged a total of 41 out of the 48 seats. The narrative has been embellished by the Narendra Modi government’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
From being the country’s youngest mayor at 27 through four terms as MLA from Nagpur South West, the CM’s political journey is dotted with many milestones, but it is his Maha Janadesh rallies that turned him into a real leader of the masses.
Despite aggressive campaigning by BJP in Western Maharashtra, the Congress-NCP alliance has managed to take a lead in 40 of the 71 seats while the saffron combine is ahead in 23 seats. Meanwhile, in NCP citadel of Baramati, Sharad Pawar’s nephew and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has won by over one lakh votes. The Pawars have not lost an election in Baramati for the past 50 years.
According to latest trends, the NCP is leading in 29 seats while the Congress is leading in 11 seats. The BJP has been held up at 17 seats, Shiv Sena in 11 seats and remaining seats are led by Independents. State NCP chief Jayant Patil is leading in Islampur, Suman Patil in Tasgaon and NCP’s Rohit Pawar is also ahead in Karjat-Jamkhed. Congress candidate Vishwajeet Kadam is all certain to retain his Palus seat.
Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan continues to lead in Karad South while sitting Congress legislator Prantit Shinde is trailing in Solapur. State Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat too has taken the lead in Sangamner.
Coming to India’s financial hub, the BJP-Shiv Sena combine are leading in 16 and 13 seats respectively in the 36 constituencies of Mumbai. The BJP contested 17 seats and the Shiv Sena 19 in the city. In 2014 , the BJP won 15, and the Shiv Sena 14 seats in the city.
Sena scion Aaditya Thackeray, the first Thackeray to contest any election, is leading by a handsome margin from Worli and looks set for his maiden election victory. Congress, which had five sitting MLAs from the city, is leading in four constituencies, while NCP’s Mumbai president Nawab Malik is leading from Anushakti Nagar. BJP’s heavyweight candidate and minister Ashish Shelar is leading in Bandra west against Congress’ Asif Zakaria.