The high-octane poll campaign concluded on Monday with the stage set for the fight between Mahayuti and Maha Vias Aghadi (MVA). Maharashtra’s 288 legislative assembly seats will vote on November 20, while the counting of votes will be done on November 23. MahaYuti alliance, comprising BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, aims to overcome anti-incumbency sentiments and retain power. Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP-SP, is hopeful of repeating the previous in the Lok Sabha elections He achieved success by defeating the grand alliance.

On November 20, around 9.70 crore voters, including 47,389 people aged between 100 and 150 years, will be able to vote. A total of 4,136 candidates representing 158 parties and independent candidates are competing in the elections. Voting will be held in 1,00,186 polling stations across the state.

Mahayuti’ Survey Board

Building on two-and-a-half years of work by the state government, the BJP-led MahaYuti alliance has approached voters and taken a strong step in support of the continuity of the state’s development story. He projected Maha Vikas Aghadi as putting brakes and roadblocks on the development of the state, arguing that major infrastructure projects like Samruddhi Marg, Mumbai Metro, Mumbai Coastal Road and Atal Setu were completed and many other projects were initiated after MahaYuti came to power. MahaYuti also portrayed the superiority of the state in attracting domestic and foreign direct investments during his tenure and blamed Maha Vikas Aghadi for the state’s loss of ranking during his tenure.

The grand alliance is based on the charisma and popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose welfare and development schemes worth Rs 1 lakh crore have been provided gratuitously by the state government, including those focused on the Ladki Bahin Yojana. MahaYuti promised to accelerate the pace of development of the state with emphasis on inclusivity through 10 guarantees including increase in monthly earnings from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100 under Ladki Bahin Yojana, waiver of farmer loans, price stability for essential commodities, creation and production. With monthly tuition assistance of Rs 10,000 to 10 lakh students through specialized training and 25 lakh job programmes, it focuses on solar power and renewable energy, making Maharashtra a $1 trillion economy.

Counter of Maha Vikas Aghadi

On the other hand, Maha Vikas Aghadi appealed to voters to vote against MahaYuti alliance for flight of capital and investments, plight of farmers especially in the wake of increasing farmer suicides, reduction of cotton and soyabean prices against guaranteed prices. Lack of jobs for the youth and educated, rise in harassment and rape cases, breakdown of law and order, rampant corruption, demolition of Chhatrapati Shivaji statue in Sindhdurg district and those around him surrender before the Delhi seat. Maha Vikas Aghadi released a “Traitor Report” against MahaYuti, specifically to focus on how the BJP engineered divisions in Shiv Sena and NCP over threatening actions from central investigating agencies.

The opposition specifically targeted MahaYuti’s government for rising revenues and fiscal deficits due to cuts and a growing debt burden. They also alleged that corruption and money exchange took place during the awarding of various tenders using “non-transparent” tender processes. Moreover, Maha Vikas Aghadi cornered MahaYuti on the issue of abolishing reservations as well as amending the Constitution and general elections. In an attempt to checkmate MahaYuti, the Maha Vikas Aghadi in its Panchsutri (five-point manifesto) announced the Mahalakshmi Scheme, promising monthly assistance of Rs 3,000 to women and free travel in state transport buses. Apart from this, Maha Vikas Aghadi announced monthly assistance of Rs 4,000 to unemployed youth, waiver of crop loans up to Rs 3 lakh and incentive of Rs 50,000 to those who repay farm loans regularly.

Maha Vikas Aghadi also assured caste census and removal of 50 per cent reservation limit to meet quota demands from Maratha, Dhangar, OBCs and Muslim communities. It also provided free medicine and health insurance worth Rs 25 lakh. He also promised voters that the government will not help a few select industrialists but will take pro-development decisions while protecting the interests of all stakeholders.

Key Constituencies and Candidates

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is in a direct fight against his mentor and former Thane district chief Shiv Sena (united) Anand Dighe’s nephew Kedar Dighe from the Kopri-Panchpakhadi constituency in his native Thane. Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is pitted against Congress candidate Pramod Gudadhe from Nagpur South West constituency.

NCP President and Deputy Chief Minister AJit Pawar, who left his uncle and joined MahaYuti in July 2023, is fielding his nephew and NCP-SP candidate Yugendra Pawar from Baramati constituency. Chhagan Bhujbal, a senior OBC leader and NCP Minister, is facing a challenge from NCP-SP candidate Manikrao Shinde from the Maratha community for his fifth consecutive win in the Yevala seat. The contest holds significance considering the recent protests over Maratha and OBC reservations.

Shiv Sena is locked in a three-way contest against UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray, former union minister and Shiv Sena candidate Milind Deora and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) candidate Sandip Deshpande from Worli constituency, which has a sizeable Marathi-speaking population. MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s son and party candidate Amit Thackeray faced a challenge in his first election from three-term Shiv Sena MP Sada Sarvankar and Shiv Sena UBT candidate Mahesh Sawant from Mahim constituency.

State Congress chief Nana Patole is contesting against BJP candidate Avinash Brahmankar from SAakoli constituency. Congress candidate and former minister Amit Deshmukh, son of former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, is in a direct fight against BJP candidate Archana Patil, daughter-in-law of senior Congress leader and former union minister Shivraj Patil. From Latur city.

His brother Dhiraj Deshmukh, the BJP’s legislative council member from Latur rural constituency, is taking over from education baron Ramesh Karad. Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar is up against Congress candidate Asif Zakaria from Bandra West constituency, state assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar, Congress candidate Hira Devasi from Colaba seat, BJP minister Mangalprabhat Lodha, Shiv Sena UBT candidate from Malabar Hill constituency Bhairu Chaudhari and former BJP spokesperson. She is currently facing Shiv Sena candidate Shaina NC from Mumbadevi constituency against Congress candidate Amit Patel.

NCP Minister Hasan Mushrif against NCP-SP candidate Samarjeetsingh Ghatge from Kagal constituency, another NCP minister Dhananjay Munde against NCP-SP candidate Rajesaheb Deshmukh from Parli, state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule against Congress candidate Suresh Bhoyar. and BJP minister Atul Save is contesting against MIM candidate and former MP Imtiyaz Jaleel from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar East. Former minister Harshvardhan Patil, who left the BJP and joined the Sharad Pawar faction, is locked in a direct fight against NCP candidate Datta Mama Bharne.

Former union minister and BJP MP Narayan Rane’s son and party candidate Nitesh Rane is seeking re-election from Kankavli seat against Shiv Sena UBT candidate Sandesh Parkar. Rane’s other son and former MP Nilesh Rane left the BJP and joined the Shiv Sena before the deadline for filing nominations. Nilesh Rane is locked in a direct fight against Shiv Sena UBT candidate Vaibhav Naik from Kudal constituency. Naik had defeated Narayan Rane, who contested as a Congress candidate in the 2014 elections.

While former minister and NCP candidate Nawab Malik is contesting against Samajwadi Party candidate Abu Azmi from Mankhurd-Shivajinagar constituency, Malik’s daughter and NCP candidate Sana Malik is contesting against NCP-SP candidate Farhad Ahmad from Anushaktinagar seat. NCP-SP candidate Jitendra Awhad is fighting against his former partner and NCP candidate Najeeb Mulla from Mumbra-Kalwa constituency. (With inputs from IANS)