About the elections in Maharashtra
Elections were held in Maharashtra in five phases between April 19 and May 20 at over 98,000 polling stations. The state logged an overall voter turnout of 61.33 per cent across the five phases.
Seat-sharing arrangements saw major deliberations
Seat-sharing talks continued, coming to a conclusion just short of the polling phases, with both the Mahayuti and the Maha Vikas Aghadi holding back candidate announcements owing to infighting.
Among the opposition MVA allies, the Shiv Sena (UBT) contested the maximum 21 seats, followed by Congress 17 and NCP (SP) 10. In the ruling Mahayuti, the BJP fielded 28 candidates, followed by Shinde-led Sena which contested 15 seats, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP 4 and ally RSP 1.
Key battles
The key battles were between BJP leader Pankaja Munde and Bajrang Sonawane of the NCP (SP) in Beed and between Congress MLA Praniti Shinde, daughter of ex-Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, and Ram Satpute of the BJP in Solapur. Shahu Chhatrapati, a royal from Kolhapur, and Udayanraje Bhosale, a direct descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, contested from Kolhapur and Satara seats on Congress and BJP tickets, respectively.
In Mumbai, the Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde and the Uddhav Thackeray faction are locked in a straight fight in three of six seats- Mumbai South, Mumbai North West, and Mumbai South Central. Prominent lawyer and debutant politician Ujjwal Nikam of the BJP contested against Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad from Mumbai North Central seat. Eknath Shinde's son and sitting MP Shrikant Shinde is seeking a third term from Kalyan.
Read more: Why Maharashtra proved to be a tough battleground
Read more: Why these polls are crucial for the five big leaders in Maharashtra?
