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Maharashtra will go to the polls tomorrow in a fierce electoral contest that has major implications for the future of political players in the state with keen contests on the cards across all regions of the vast state that has 288 assembly seats.
Leaders of the ruling Mahayuti alliance and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) held extensive campaigns and made major pre-poll promises with observers stating that local factors will also have a significant role in deciding the electoral outcome. This is the first assembly election since the split in Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party and a lot is at stake for various players. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray lost his chief ministerial position due to split in his party in 2022 and the party is keen to prove a point in the assembly polls. His key rival Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has also gained popularity due to welfare measures initiated by Mahayuti government and there is a seeming clash over who is true inheritor of Balasaheb Thackeray's legacy. NCP also suffered a split with Ajit Pawar joining the ruling alliance as Deputy Chief Minister in July last year. His uncle Sharad Pawar, who now heads NCP(SP), has kept a tight campaign and is keen to see that there is no dent to his long legacy in politics. The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance comprises BJP, Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) includes Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar). The campaign saw catchy slogans, emotional appeals with factors of caste also coming into play. After setback in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year, the Mahayuti government has taken corrective measures and schemes as Ladki Behin Yojana gaining popularity. The election eve saw high drama with opposition parties making allegations against BJP leader Vinod Tawde of "distributing money". Tawde has denied all the allegations. Workers of Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) created ruckus outside a hotel located at Nalasopara assembly constituency in Palghar district accusing BJP of "distributing money." Tawde was holding a meeting with the party workers in the hotel. Tawde denied the allegations and said Election Commission should probe them. "A meeting of MLAs of Nalasopara was underway. I went there to tell them about the Model Code of Conduct for the day of voting, how will voting machines be sealed and how to go about if an objection has to be made. The workers of the party (Bahujan Vikas Aghadi), Appa Thakur and Kshitij thought that we were distributing money. Let the Election Commission and Police inquire, let them get CCTV footage. I have been in the party for 40 years. Appa Thakur and Kshitij know me, and the entire party knows me. Still, I believe that the Election Commission should conduct an impartial investigation," Tawde said. A lot is at stake for Congress in the Maharashtra assembly polls after the party is seen to have bungled its prospect in the Haryana assembly polls earlier this year. BJP has formed its third successive government in Haryana. The BJP and Congress are in direct contest in over 70 seats in Maharashtra and a lot will depend on the outcome of these seats for government formation. The assembly elections will see some intense, mouth-watering contests including in some of the 36 seats in Mumbai and its suburbs. Voting will begin at 7 am will end at 6 pm. A total of 4,136 candidates are in the fray which include 2,086 independent contenders. The BJP is contesting in 149 seats, Shiv Sena 81, and NCP 59 constituencies. The Congress has fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) has fielded 86 candidates. BSP is contesting on 237 seats. There are other smaller parties also in the fray. The state has about 9.70 crore voters. Eknath Shinde is in the fray from Kopri-Pachpakhadi Assembly constituency. Deputy Chief Minister and BJP candidate Devendra Fadanvis is contesting from Nagpur South-West Assembly seat. Fadnavis is eyeing his sixth consecutive term. Shaina NC, a former BJP spokesperson, is Shiv Sena candidate from Mumbadevi. She is contesting against incumbent Congress MLA Amin Patel, who has represented the Mumbadevi constituency since 2009. Milind Deora is up against sitting MLA from Shiv Sena (UBT) Aaditya Thackeray from Worli Assembly constituency. Congress state chief Nana Patole is contesting the polls from Sakoli. NCP chief Ajit Pawar is recontesting from Baramati and is facing tough contest from NCP (SP) candidate Yungendra Pawar, grandnephew of Sharad Pawar. Late Baba Siddique's son Zeeshan Siddique is contesting from the Bandra East constituency on NCP ticket against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Varun Sardesai. Senior BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP chief and Union Health Minister JP Nadda, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhiwere among those who campaigned in the assembly polls. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for smooth conduct of polls. Mumbai Police has deployed over 25,000 personnel, including riot-control teams and home guards. According to the Brihanmumbai Police Commissionerate, more than 2,000 police officers and over 25,000 police personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order during the elections. "Additionally, three Riot Control Platoons (RCP) have been assigned for the purpose of maintaining order," it added. In the run-up to the elections, preventive action has been taken against 4,492 people, and about Rs 175 crore worth of ornaments, liquor, cash, and narcotics has been seized. Political Parties have also been plagued by the problem of rebels on several seats. Votes will be counted on November 23 along with that for Jharkhand assembly polls and bypolls in 48 assembly and two Lok Sabha seats. (ANI)
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