Mumbai: The term of Maharashtra assembly ends in November this year and this will be first major elections after the Lok Sabha elections which will see ruling and opposition parties in a keenly fought contest. But there are no dates from the Election Commission so far, giving rise to lots of speculations. According to the latest Maharashtra assembly election schedule dates, the assembly elections will be held after Diwali meaning, sometime between November 5-15. Though there is no official confirmation from the Election Commission on this.
With just a few days left before the announcement of the mega polls, both alliances, Maha Vikas Aghadi (comprising Shiv Sena UBT, NCP-SP, and Congress) and the Mahayuti alliance (comprising BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP) are gearing up to secure a majority in the upcoming electoral battle.
According to political experts, there is speculation that the upcoming Assembly polls will be held after Diwali, between November 5-20. However, there are no confirmed reports regarding the poll schedule yet. An official announcement concerning the dates is expected within a few days.
Haryana-Maharashtra Polls Planned Together Earlier
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Initially, it was believed that the assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra would take place simultaneously in October, as the tenure of both state assemblies ends on November 3 and 26, respectively. However, due to certain political factors, it is predicted that the polls in Maharashtra will be delayed and held in November.
Recent Lok Sabha Elections Debacle
One possible factor is the current political condition of the Mahayuti government and the dynamics within their alliance. The Mahayuti alliance faced a major setback in the recent Lok Sabha polls, securing only 17 out of 48 seats.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, the MVA emerged as the winner in Maharashtra, winning 30 of the state’s 48 seats, while the Mahayuti pocketed 17 seats. One seat, Sangli, went to Independent candidate Vishal Patil, a Congress rebel.
Another challenge for the government is the growing tensions between the Maratha and OBC communities, with ongoing agitations in the state. Holding a state election under these delicate circumstances could result in further damage to the Mahayuti-led government. Hence the government would require maximum time to plan for the crucial state polls.
Welfare Schemes Used To Woo The Public
The recently announced welfare schemes by the Shinde government are another reason behind scheduling the polls after Diwali. According to experts, the state government will fully leverage these welfare schemes to gain public support in the upcoming election.
With schemes like Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, Majha Ladka Dada Yojana, and others, the Shinde government is set to provide monetary benefits to the people just before the elections, which could prove advantageous for them. The Mahayuti government is set to disburse the first installment of Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana on August 17, on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. A similar installment is expected to coincide with Bhaubeej or Bhau Bij during Diwali.
The Anandachi Shidha initiative, through which the state government provides essential food materials like sugar, dal, and oil for making sweets during Diwali, is also expected to be aligned with efforts to garner maximum goodwill from the people.
The Mahayuti alliance government is expected to use all possible measures to gain public support, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi is striving to convince the public not to be swayed by freebies and to vote for the alliance's vision for better governance. It will be interesting to see which side emerges victorious in the upcoming electoral showdown.
