‘Whenever Voting Increases…’: Fadnavis Confident Of BJP’s Maharashtra Show, Meets RSS Chief – News18

Last Updated:November 21, 2024, 09:37 IST

Maharashtra recorded 65.11% turnout in elections to 288 assembly seats on Wednesday with Kolhapur district coming on top with 76.25 per cent polling

Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis (PTI)

As Maharashtra recovered from the early sluggish voter turnout trend and breached 65%, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis exuded confidence in his party and its alliance (Mahayuti), saying “BJP-Mahayuti will benefit from the increased voting percentage”.

Maharashtra polled 58.22% votes till 5 pm on Wednesday. However, the Election Commission of India’s latest and updated data revealed that Maharashtra recorded 65.11% turnout in elections to 288 assembly seats with Kolhapur district coming on top with 76.25% polling. Meanwhile, Mumbai finished at the bottom with 52.07% voting.

The BJP candidate from Nagpur South-West against Congress’ Gudadhe-Patil, said, “I feel that whenever the voting percentage increases, BJP is the only one to benefit from it. With the increased voting percentage, BJP-Mahayuti will benefit from this.”

Fadnavis Meets RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat

Fadnavis on Wednesday evening visited RSS headquarters in Nagpur after voting for the state assembly polls concluded. According to sources, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and former general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi were present in the Sangh headquarters situated in Mahal area.

Fadnavis was present in the Sangh headquarters for around 15 to 20 minutes, sources added. Though the BJP leader declined to comment on his meeting with Bhagwat, it has triggered buzz about the Sangh backing him for the CM post.

What Exit Polls Say?

Meanwhile, the ruling Mahayuti is expected to retain power with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) also putting up a strong show in assembly polls, exit polls predicted on Wednesday after the conclusion of polling on 288 seats in Maharashtra.

According to the Republic TV-PMARQ exit poll, the Mahayuti alliance could win 137-157 seats whereas the Maha Vikas Aghadi could get 126-147 seats and others 2-8 seats.

Mahayuti includes BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi includes Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP).

Matrize exit poll projected 150-170 seats for the Mahayuti alliance and 110-130 seats for Maha Vikas Aghadi. It said others could get 8-10 seats.

Chanakya Strategies projected that Mahayuti will win 152-150 seats, MVA 130-138 seats and others 6-8 seats.

‘Peoples Pulse’ projected Mahayuti scoring a decisive victory by getting 175-195 seats. It said Maha Vikas Aghadi is poised to get 85-112 seats and ‘others’ winning 7-12 seats.

The majority mark in Maharashtra assembly is 145 and the range of Republic TV-PMARQ prediction suggested that even MVA could cross the mark.

Electoral fate of 4,136 candidates, including 2,086 independents, were locked in EVMs across 288 seats, where the ruling Mahayuti alliance is vying to retain power, while the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is hoping for a comeback after losing office in June 2022. It was the first assembly poll in the state after splits in Shiv Sena and NCP. The results will be declared on November 23.

In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and the Congress won 44. In 2014, the BJP claimed 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42.