Maharashtra Election 2024 LIVE: Voting Across 288 Constituencies Begin, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat Shows ‘Inked Finger’ – News18

Maharashtra Election 2024 LIVE Updates: All 288 constituencies of Maharashtra is going to polls today in a high-stakes clash between the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The election in Maharashtra is coinciding with the second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly Election on Wednesday.

The election campaign for the Maharashtra Assembly election ended on Monday (November 18). The Mahayuti alliance – comprising of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are looking to retain power. The MVA alliance – comprising of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar-led NCP – would be looking to make a strong political comeback.

Prominent faces in the campaign were Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra along with numerous Union Ministers. The Mahayuti alliance is banking on schemes like ‘Ladki Bahin” to maintain its foothold on power.

On the other hand, the opposition has reacted strongly to BJP’s slogans like “Batenge To Katenge” and “Ek Hai to Safe Hai”, which also became a point of content with Ajit Pawar’s NCP. The electoral heat also extended to religious lines – with the BJP accusing the Congress of promoting a “vote jihad” in Maharashtra and calling for a “dharam-yuddh” of votes.