Mumbai

As Maharashtra prepares for Assembly elections, both the MahaYuti coalition and the Maha Vikas Aghadi are gearing up for the political contest. The MahaYuti alliance, consisting of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, plans to leverage various welfare and development schemes to maintain its hold on power. Meanwhile, the Maha Vikas Aghadi is banking on anti-incumbency sentiments among voters.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to hold a press conference, following a meeting among MahaYuti leaders, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. The BJP is expected to announce its first list of candidates soon, claiming 160 of the 288 seats. The Maha Vikas Aghadi is aiming for over 100 seats for Congress, around 80-90 for Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, and 70-80 for NCP(SP).

The election machinery is well-prepared for smooth polling across 288 constituencies, with 9.59 crore registered voters. A total of 1,00,186 polling stations will be set up, and nearly 4,00,744 personnel will manage the election process. The state has implemented strict measures to prevent the influx of illegal cash and substances, ensuring a fair election environment.