Maharashtra Assembly election results are unexpected and incomprehensible: Uddhav Thackeray

Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday addressed a press conference. Pic/Satej Shinde

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said that the Maharashtra Assembly election results 2024 are unexpected and incomprehensible.

He said, "We will keep fighting for the rights of Maharashtra."

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Uddhav questioned, "How can situation change so drastically in four months after Lok Sabha polls?"

He further said that cannot believe Maharashtra, which listened to me as head of family during Covid, will behave with me this way.

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance on Saturday retained power in Maharashtra, maintaining sway over 230 of the 288 assembly seats, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi's dream of wresting power fizzled, with the opposition combine ahead in just 50 seats.

While results have been declared in 164 seats, counting of votes, which began at 8 am, is still in progress in the remaining 124 seats, election officials said, as per the PTI.

After the certainty of the poll outcome, the focus has now shifted to BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, the architect of his party's stunning victory. Political circles are abuzz with reports that the state's second Brahmin to become the CM will don the post for the third time.

There is already speculation that the swearing in of the new CM may take place as early as Monday and that too in the same venue, the sprawling Wankhede Stadium in south Mumbai, where Fadnavis was sworn in as the CM 10 years ago.

According to the PTI, as per the latest figures from the Election Commission, the BJP has so far won 35 seats and is leading in 78, the Shiv Sena won 27 and is ahead in 29 seats, while the NCP has won 25 and is leading in 16 seats.

In the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) candidates won 6 seats and were leading in 4 seats, Congress won 5 and its candidates were leading in 11 seats, while Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) won 11 and was leading in 9 seats.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi suffered a crushing defeat, with its candidates leading in just 50 seats, a far cry from the boasts 'till this morning' by many of its senior leaders that the combine will trounce the Mahayuti.

Going by the results, Maharashtra may not have a leader of opposition in the Lower House, as norms stipulate that a party should have at least 10 per cent of the total members of the assembly and not cobble up the number as an alliance.

Maharashtra Election 2024 results Live

Saturday's winners include BJP's Kalidas Kolambkar who defeated Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Shraddha Jadhav by 24,973 in Wadala constituency after 16 rounds to become a legislator for the ninth time in a row.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar won in their respective assembly constituencies, while senior Congress leaders Prithviraj Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat lost in theirs. Congress leader Nana Patole was trailing behind his BJP rival in Sakoli seat by 1607 votes after 25 of the 28 rounds.

Eknath Shinde said that the results of the assembly elections were historic, and showed to whom the Nationalist Congress Party and Shiv Sena belong to.

Devendra Fadnavis said there was no dispute over the chief minister's post and leaders of Mahayuti will decide on the issue together as the saffron party-led coalition is heading for a landslide victory.

The results show that the state supports PM Narendra Modi, he said, and also thanked women voters.

(with PTI inputs)