Maharashtra Election 2024 Live Updates: BJP-led Mahayuti follows path of Shivaji Maharaj, Veer Savarkar; MVA is Aurangzeb Fan Club, says Amit Shah at Hingoli rally

Since splitting the Shiv Sena in 2022 and rising to the Chief Minister’s chair, Eknath Shinde has become a pillar of the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra. In the ongoing Assembly elections, he is at the forefront leading the fight against the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which is reinvigorated after its strong showing in the Lok Sabha polls.

Shinde appears confident that the Mahayuti government has taken enough course-correcting measures to win come November 23. In an interview with The Indian Express, Shinde speaks on the alliance’s campaign strategy, his government’s track record, and the challenge posed by the Opposition. Read More

Mumbai suburban district authorities on Friday appealed to voters to come out in large numbers to cast their vote in the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections.

In a press conference, Rajendra Kshirsagar, collector and additional district election officer said the district has recorded low voting percentage as compared to the figures in the state and the country. "Despite challenging situations, Jammu and Kashmir recorded 70 per cent voter turnout, but Mumbai suburban district had a lower voting percentage than the state and the national average this time. We have to ensure a higher voting percentage in our district," he said, apparently referring to the figures recorded in the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year.

Mumbai suburban district has 26 assembly constituencies and 76,86,098 registered voters -- 41,01,457 males, 35,83,803 females and 838 transgender voters.

There are a total of 315 candidates in the fray from 26 assembly constituencies in the district, which will have 7,579 polling stations. Of these, 6,277 polling stations are in permanent structures, while the remaining 1,302 are temporary structures and they will be ready by November 18, Kshirsagar said.

(PTI)

Rallies addressed by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar in Sangli and Kolhapur, respectively, on Friday witnessed unseasonal rains.

Speaking in Sangli in western Maharashtra, Fadnavis said one is assured of a victory when it rains, an apparent reference to Pawar addressing a rally in Satara during the 2019 assembly polls.

Videos of the episode, which took place on October 18 that year, had gone viral on social media and the opposition stalwart had earned accolades for his commitment to those who had braved the downpour to hear him. The NCP, undivided at the time, went on to win the seat.

Pawar was addressing a rally in Ichalkaranji in Kolhapur when it started raining.

(PTI)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Narendra Modi-led government will eliminate Naxalism from Chhattisgarh by March 31, 2026.

“Modi ji has worked to free the country from terrorism and Naxalism. He worked to make the country prosperous and increase its respect in the world,” Shah said, addressing an election rally at Chandrapur in Maharashtra.

“Whatever (Naxal menace) is remaining in Chhattisgarh, we will end it by March 31, 2026,” Shah said.

Shah also asked the crowd if they wanted the Maha Vikas Aghadi's Aurangzeb Fan Club government to come to power in Maharashtra after the November 20 assembly elections.

(With inputs from PTI)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday that election officials at Maharashtra's Hingoli checked the helicopter ferrying him and his bags.

Shah is in the state to campaign for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance ahead of the November 20 assembly polls.

In a post on X, Shah said the BJP believes in free and fair elections and follows all laid-down rules and protocols.

“In a healthy electoral system, we all should contribute and fulfil our duties to make India the strongest democracy in the world,” he said.

The issue of poll officials checking politicians' luggage entered electoral discourse after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray filmed his bags being inspected and shared the video of it. He also sought to know if the election officials had checked the bags of the chief minister, the state's two deputy CMs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah.

(PTI)

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray said on Friday that he won't hold his November 17 rally at Mumbai's Shivaji Park as the Election Commission (EC) is yet to grant his party permission for the event.

Instead, Thackeray said, he would visit assembly segments in Mumbai and Thane to canvass for MNS candidates.

“I still have not got the permission and I have 1.5 days for the meeting. In these 1.5 days, holding rallies is becoming difficult. Instead, I will visit assembly seats in Mumbai and Thane,” Thackeray said.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS had sought permission to hold rallies on November 17 at the iconic Shivaji Park. Both parties have not yet received the EC nod for the proposed events.

Campaigning for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls ends at 5 pm on November 18.

(PTI)

At a rally in Hingoli, Maharashtra, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, "Sonia Gandhi tried to launch her son 20 times; her 'Rahul plane' will crash for the 21st time in Maharashtra elections."

On 'Batoge toh Katoge' slogan, used by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and refuted by Ajit Pawar, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) President Prakash Ambedkar told ANI, "OBCs have already been cut. Their reservation has been cut. This has been done by the BJP...their slogan is only for cutting and they are telling people that we are cutting you. People should understand and remove them from power."

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held several rallies in Maharashtra, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala claimed that there were no listeners for his rallies. During a press conference, Chennithala said, "There were empty chairs everywhere at Shivaji Park. This proves that he (the prime minister) lies so much, and people don't want to listen," he alleged, claiming that Rahul Gandhi's rallies were attracting a lot of crowd.

With PTI inputs

The Charkop assembly seat of suburban Mumbai is set to witness a political battle between incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator, Yogesh Sagar and Congress’s Yashwant Singh.

Sagar who is eyeing his fourth term in office, is the undefeated MLA from Charkop eversince the constituency was formed in 2009. Meanwhile, Singh who serves as the secretary of Mumbai Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) and head of the Congress’s North India Cell is set to take on the three term MLA in his first ever electoral battle.

Highlighting the “anti-incumbency” factor, Singh is confident to break the BJP’s winning streak this time, however Sagar believes to make his comeback to the office by record majority. Read more

AAP leader Sanjay Singh, who is in Nagpur to campaign for Maha Vikas Aghadi candidates slammed the BJP saying the party did nothing when projects worth Rs 2 lakh crore were shifted from Maharashtra to Gujarat. "BJP does not have anything to say to people regarding what they did for Maharashtra. What did they do when projects worth Rs 2 lakh crore were shifted from Maharashtra to Gujarat," says AAP MP Sanjay Singh.

With PTI inputs

Chandivali’s demographic landscape sets the stage for a unique electoral battle. The area has a significant Muslim population alongside a mix of Hindi and Marathi-speaking communities.

The 2019 Chandivali Assembly constituency election was one of the closest in recent memory, with Shiv Sena’s Dilip Lande narrowly defeating Congress’s Naseem Khan by a razor-thin margin of just 409 votes. Five years on, the political landscape has shifted, but the bitter, closely contested rivalry between the two is poised to continue, making this year’s battle in the constituency as intense as ever. Read more

Manifestos of political parties for the upcoming Maharashtra State Election show an increased focus on health marking a clear shift from past elections. To attract voters, parties are pledging health-focused initiatives, ranging from Universal Health Care and a mission to improve nutrition among tribal communities and providing free medication for lifestyle diseases and preventive healthcare programs for youth. While doctors applaud this shift in priorities, they urge the state to increase its health budget to ensure these promises are financially feasible and effectively implemented.

Dr. Abhay Shukla, national co-convenor of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, a network of health professionals and NGOs, expressed optimism. “After 25 years in the health sector, this is the first time we’re seeing such a comprehensive commitment to key health issues. It’s a welcome change that points toward a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system.” Read more

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "remote control" jibe over Shiv Sena (UBT), party leader Sanjay Raut responded saying, "The people of Maharashtra do not trust the PM's statements. Our MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) alliance is united, and Maharashtra is safer with us. Let the public decide whose remote control is in whose hands. As for the faction he created by breaking Shiv Sena, its remote control is certainly with him."

With PTI inputs

Maharashtra Navanirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has released party manifesto in Mumbai

As sugarcane crushing season is set to begin on November 15, more than 12 lakh sugarcane cutters from Marathwada, north Maharashtra, and Vidarbha may miss voting. Lakhs of cutters have already migrated to the sugarcane belts in western Maharashtra and many other states, according to the Maharashtra Sugarcane Cutters and Transport Association.

With PTI inputs

The Marathi-speaking diaspora in Karachi, though significant, is not the first from Maharashtra to have established roots in Pakistan. So who were the earliest settlers? How did they navigate life in a foreign land? And, perhaps most intriguingly, do they still cling to their original identities? The answers reveal a fascinating tapestry of migration, captivity, and resilience.

After the death of Emperor Aurangzeb and the decline of the Mughal Empire, the Maratha Confederacy expanded rapidly, posing a threat to Ahmad Shah Durrani’s (also known as Ahmad Shah Abdali) Afghan Empire. To counter this, Ahmad Shah launched a campaign, capturing large parts of Punjab and aiming to starve the Maratha forces. In response, the Marathas assembled a large army under Sadashivrao Bhau, who managed to reclaim Delhi.

Ahmad Shah sought to trap the Maratha forces in Punjab, cutting off their supplies while moving troops southward. Surrounded by the enemy and starving, Sadashivrao Bhau attempted to break the siege, leading to a confrontation at Panipat in 1761. In part II of his book, Medieval India, historian Satish Chandra observes that “the Bhau would not have been able to prevail over the Abdali, saddled as he was with heavy artillery and womenfolk.” He contends that while the Maratha soldiers primarily relied on lances and swords, the Afghan forces held a significant advantage with skilled musketeers equipped with quick-loading flintlock guns and mounted on “swift, well-trained horses.” This technological and tactical superiority, combined with internal rivalries within the Maratha ranks, ultimately weakened their forces. The smaller but unified Ahmad Shah army decisively overwhelmed the Marathas. Read our research article

Addressing a rally in the Nanded district in the Marathwada region on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi said, “Your government was snatched away from you… Don’t you think Narendra Modi was involved in that? Their own leader recently said that Adani was involved in the political meeting. Now, tell me why would Adani be present in a political meeting? It is because he wanted the Dharavi Redevelopment project.”

In an interview with The News Minute, Ajit Pawar had said that Gautam Adani was present during the talks between BJP and NCP in 2019 for government formation.

In the last month, as many as 6,382 complaints related to model code violations were lodged with the Election Commission and cash, goods worth more than Rs 536 crore were seized from the state. Of the total complaints received in the past month, 6,381 have been resolved by the EC, said the office of state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).

With PTI inputs

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar has slammed the Maharashtra government saying schemes like Ladki Bahin Yojana are being implemented but the Mahayuti government does nothing about the continuous rise in crimes against women. “This is happening in Maharashtra, the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Savitribai Phule and Jijamata. Under the BJP-led government, five complaints are being filed every hour related to crimes against women. The Maharashtra government has reported that 64,000 women and girls are currently missing,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday taunted Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for “handing over the remote control” of the party to the Congress.

“Mumbai is a city of self-respect, but a party in Maha Vikas Aghadi has handed over its “remote control” to those who insulted Balasaheb Thackeray,” Modi said, addressing his last public rally for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections.

“That is why I challenged them to get the Congress to praise Balasaheb Thackeray. Till date these people have not been able to get the Congress and the “Prince” of Congress to praise Balasaheb,” Modi said. -PTI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday had a glass of sugarcane juice at a street-side outlet and interacted with local women after a campaign rally here.

Gandhi addressed a rally in this central Maharashtra city ahead of the November 20 state assembly elections.

Afterwards, before going to the airport, his convoy headed to the Central Bus Stand.

He spoke to some women there about the welfare schemes started by the Mahayuti government in the state, and what the Opposition's Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance would do for them if elected to power.

He also treated himself and his security personnel to fresh sugarcane juice.

Three persons were charged under Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities (MPDA) Act in Latur amid the assembly poll campaign. A police official identified the three as Rameshwar alias Papya Suryakant Bajgude (21), Javed Sharafuddin Mulla (40) and Karan Pandurang Pawar (23), adding they are history-sheeters. "The three were sent to jail for a year. Such action is being taken to ensure smooth conduct of polls scheduled for November 20," he added. MPDA enables authorities to detain repeat offenders, gangsters, bootleggers, drug offenders, and other individuals threatening public order.

Private bus fares surge as voters plan trips to hometowns for Maharashtra pollsbuses plying on various routes of Maharashtra have shot up as thousands of voters plan to visit their native places to cast their ballots in the upcoming assembly elections.

Travel booking agents and bus operators told PTI that the upsurge in ticket prices on routes connecting Mumbai and western Maharashtra, Konkan, Marathwada, and northern Maharashtra have nearly doubled for November 19 and 20.

Voting will be held in Maharashtra's 288 assembly constituencies in a single phase on November 20.

A travel booking agent from Dadar said that after Diwali, the ticket rates on routes like Mumbai-Kolhapur had come down to Rs 500 to Rs 700, but have almost doubled ahead of the elections.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have pursued different policies if he had read the Constitution of India.

Speaking at a rally here ahead of the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections as well as the Nanded Lok Sabha byelection, Gandhi said the Constitution does not teach us to discriminate between the rich and the poor.

"Modi has waived loans of Rs 16 lakh crore of 25 rich people, but not the loans of the poor and farmers,' he claimed, adding that this is not what the Constitution teaches you.

Officials, government employees and collegians took an oath on Thursday at the Thane collectorate to increase the voter turnout in the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls, an official said.

It is an initiative of Collector and District Election Officer Ashok Shingare, the official added.

"The event took place at 11am at the collectorate. The Resident Deputy District Collector Sandeep Mane, Sub-District Election Officer Vaishali Mane, Nayab Tehsildar Smital Yadav, Information Officer Nandkumar Waghmare, government employees and students of Vidya Prasarak Mandal and NKT College took part," he said.

Through the oath, people are urged to vote without being influenced by the ideas of religion, race, caste, society, language, or without succumbing to any temptation, the official added. - PTI

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said his party's 'batenge to katenge' slogan is a counter-narrative to the MVA's campaign and claimed his colleagues Ashok Chavan and Pankaja Munde as well as Deputy CM Ajit Pawar had failed to grasp its "core" meaning.

The slogan, frequently used by Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath on the campaign trail for the November 20 Maharashtra polls, has united the opposition in its condemnation, which claims it has communal overtones, while even some ruling alliance leaders have frowned on it. -PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Congress gave the 'Garibi Hatao' slogan, but looted the poor, adding that the party's mentality was to ensure that the poor did not progress.

“If the poor are benefiting, you feel happy, but the Congress doesn't feel happy over this,” Modi said, addressing a rally at Panvel in Maharashtra for the November 20 state assembly elections.

“The Congress is far ahead when it comes to vote bank politics, but is the enemy of the poor,” Modi said. The poor have a big responsibility to stop the Congress, he added.

"Never before in India's history has a Prime Minister not visited a state engulfed in turmoil for over a year," said Rahul Gandhi, referencing Manipur's ongoing unrest.

Senior BJP leader and former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jairam Thakur on Thursday said people of Maharashtra must realise that the Congress has failed to fulfil poll promises made in the northern state.

The Congress listed 10 "guarantees" in the manifesto for the HP assembly polls, including Rs 1500 per month to women, but none of these have turned into reality, Thakur told reporters here.

He also showed video clips of Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi and HP CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to buttress his point.

BJP MP and former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan has said the slogan "batenge to katenge" is not in good taste and irrelevant and the people will not appreciate it.

In an interview to PTI on Wednesday, Chavan also said he doesn't attach much importance to the "vote jihad - dharma yuddha" rhetoric, as the BJP and ruling Mahayuti's policy is development of the country and Maharashtra.

Notably, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Yogi Adityanath has been raising the slogan of "batenge to katenge" (divided we fall) in his rallies ahead of the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls.

Asked about it, Chavan said, "There is no relevance of this (slogan). Slogans are given at election time. This particular slogan is not in good taste and I don't think people will appreciate it. Personally speaking, I am not in favour of such slogans." "Every political functionary has to take a decision after a lot of thinking. We also have to see that nobody's sentiments are hurt," the BJP leader added, while speaking at Ardhapur in Nanded during his election campaign for the Mahayuti.

Accusing the Congress of having a divisive agenda and being anti-reservation and pro-meritocracy, PM Narendra Modi in a rallying cry to the OBCs reiterated the, "hum ek hain toh safe hain slogan."

Mahayuti govt renamed Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and fulfilled Balasaheb Thackeray's wish, said PM Modi at poll rally.

Maharashtra saw highest foreign direct investment after formation of BJP-led Mahayuti govt, said PM Narendra Modi at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar rally. PTI

PM Modi says, "Those who have problem with Shambhaji Maharaj's name, those who see Messiah in the name of those who killed him, aren't they standing against the Maharashtra and Maratha pride? Aren't these people against our identity? Will Maharashtra ever accept such people?...." ANI

Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora has asserted there is no rift in the ruling Mahayuti alliance, amid indications of a growing unease in the Ajit Pawar-led NCP over the strident Hindutva agenda pursued by the BJP in the run-up to the Maharashtra assembly polls.

Former Union minister Deora, who is pitted against Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray in Worli assembly seat, also hit out at the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition and accused it of creating hurdles in development projects in Mumbai and Maharashtra.

Meanwhile in Jharkhand, Home Minister Amit Shah said, "Sonia Gandhi's 'Rahul plane' is going to crash for 21st time in the state. Shah vowed to swipe out Naxalism, infiltration from Jharkhand

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he has no idea what's written in the Constitution. Gandhi made the remark in reference to BJP's "red colour" book dig. "Not Constitution, but RSS terms you 'vanvasi'," Gandhi added.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's rally has begun in Nandurbar, Maharashtra.

A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah remarked that Article 370 will not be restored in Jammu and Kashmir even if Indira Gandhi returns from heaven, Congress leader Manickam Tagore hit back saying he is not ready to speak about the story of Gautam Adani being handed over Rs 1 lakh crore in the state. In an interview with The News Minute, Ajit Pawar had said Adani was present during the talks of 2019 government formation between NCP and BJP. Tagore told PTI, ""It shows that Amit Shah is more frustrated, and we can see that they are going to be defeated. He is not ready to speak about Maharashtra's issues, he is not ready to speak about story of Adani being handed over Rs one lakh crore in Maharashtra. Amit Shah is on a very bad wicket, we can see his frustration from these words."

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha will also be in the state addressing rallies. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will address a press conference in Pune along with NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar.

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding rally in Maharashtra, the Congress asked why the Mahayuti and the Union governments keen on "undermining" Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posed three questions to him, including what is his vision to address water scarcity in Marathwada. "Raigad was the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj - one of India's greatest sons, whom the Mahayuti Government in Maharashtra and its patron in New Delhi have been undermining," Ramesh said in a post on X.

With PTI inputs

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar yesterday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he sought 400 seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections as “his eyes were on the Constitution of India.” Opposition sensed that the BJP wanted to attack democracy and hence it came together, Pawar said during a rally in Bhosari.

"During the Lok Sabha polls, prime minister Narendra Modi was seeking 400 seats for the BJP. We were surprised because 300 to 350 seats for a party is considered a good majority. We went a little deeper and realised that he wanted 400 MPs because his eyes were on the Constitution of India written by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar," Pawar said.

"We then brought together all key leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, myself, Arvind Kejriwal, Uddhav Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav, and decided to fight together against the impending attack on democracy," the veteran politician said.

He was proud that the people of Maharashtra gave the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi 31 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state and thwarted a possible attack on the Constitution, Pawar added.

With PTI inputs

Hello and welcome to Maharashtra Election 2024 Live blog! Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Maharashtra today to give BJP campaign a further push. He will address rallies in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Panvel and Mumbai. As huge crowd is expected at Shivaji Park in Dadar, Mumbai police have already imposed restrictions. The Opposition leaders continued their barbs against the Mahayuti alliance. Stay tuned here for latest news from Maharashtra.