Mumbai: The Election Commission of India (ECI) today announced the schedule for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, setting the stage for a high-stakes political battle in the state. The elections will be conducted in a single phase, with the polling date on November 20. The counting of votes will take place on November 23.
The announcement brings Maharashtra, one of the country’s most politically crucial states, closer to determining its next government. With 288 Assembly seats up for grabs, the elections are expected to be a crucial contest between the ruling Mahayuti coalition and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
Tough Fight Between Both Alliances
The ruling Mahayuti, a coalition led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), also includes the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar. This alliance currently holds power in the state, with Eknath Shinde serving as Chief Minister and Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar as Deputy Chief Ministers.
On the other side, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is gearing up for a tough contest. The MVA consists of the Congress, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). The coalition, which previously governed the state until political shifts in 2022, is positioning itself to challenge the ruling Mahayuti on various fronts, including economic and social issues.
Key Battles & Major Concerns
The key battlegrounds for the election will be the state's urban centres like Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur, as well as rural regions where agrarian issues, unemployment and infrastructure development remain major concerns. Both coalitions are expected to focus heavily on these issues during their campaigns, with the Mahayuti likely to emphasize continuity and development and the MVA focusing on governance and policy critiques of the current administration.
The Maharashtra Assembly's term is set to conclude on November 26. The last Assembly elections in Maharashtra were held in 2019 and the state has since witnessed major political shifts, most notably the splits in the Shiv Sena and NCP along with their alliance with the BJP.
