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Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister <keyword id="6355042" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Devendra-Fadnavis" source="Orion">Devendra Fadnavis</keyword> will take decisions on <keyword id="549985" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="seat-sharing" source="Orion">seat-sharing</keyword> and <keyword id="22753690" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="negotiations-with-allies" source="Orion">negotiations with allies</keyword> for the upcoming assembly polls in the state, a party leader has said. The move aims to prevent undesired delays by streamlining preparations for the assembly elections due in a few months, BJP's Mumbai unit chief <keyword id="6367689" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ashish-Shelar" source="Orion">Ashish Shelar</keyword> told reporters on Sunday. "The core committee (of the state unit) has met in Mumbai to delegate all decision-making powers concerning seat-sharing and the selection of assembly constituencies to Fadnavis," he said. Party observer and Union minister Bhupender Yadav, BJP national secretary Vinod Tawde, Union minister and Mumbai North MP Piyush Goyal also attended the meeting. Of the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra, the BJP won 104 in 2019. Shelar confirmed finalisation of the "formula for winning, besides the planning and seat-sharing arrangements with the allies". "Fadnavis has been granted full authority in this regard," he said. The BJP-led Mahayuti, also comprising Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and the NCP headed by Ajit Pawar, won only 17 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the recent parliamentary polls. The BJP's tally came down to 9 from 23 five years ago. The Maha Vikas Aghadi, consisting of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), bagged 30 seats. Shelar said, "We have decided to save time by streamlining the planning, discussions, and decision-making processes with all the NDA constituents to finalise the candidates. Once this is done, we can begin preparations for the assembly polls. The list of candidates will be released at the appropriate time." After the BJP's Lok Sabha tally came down to 9 in Maharashtra, Fadnavis had offered to quit the deputy CM's post to enable him to focus on party work ahead of assembly elections. Later, after a party meeting where state BJP legislators passed a resolution reposing faith in him, Fadnavis said he would continue to work.

Maharashtra polls: Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis to decide on seat-sharing, negotiations with allies

The <keyword id="19895782" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Election-Commission" source="keywords">Election Commission</keyword> has received eight applications from aggrieved <keyword id="19902220" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="candidates" source="keywords">candidates</keyword>, including those from the <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BJP" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="BJP">BJP</keyword> and the <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword>, for verification of tampering or modification in micro-controller chips embedded in the EVMs post declaration of Lok Sabha election results on June 4. Terming the suspicion of manipulation of the electronic voting machines "unfounded", the <keyword id="19895345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court" source="keywords">Supreme Court</keyword> had on April 26 rejected the demand for reverting to the old paper ballot system. But at the same time, the top court had opened a window for the aggrieved unsuccessful candidates securing second and third places in the poll results and allowed them to seek verification of micro-controller chips embedded in five per cent EVMs per assembly constituency on a written request upon the payment of a fee to the poll panel. BJP's Ahmednagar (Maharashtra) candidate Sujay Vikhe-Patil has sought verification of the machines from 40 <keyword id="20300567" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="polling-stations" source="keywords">polling stations</keyword>. Vikhe-Patil had lost to Nilesh Lanke of NCP (Sharad Pawar) faction. A YSRCP and a DMDK candidate too have applied for the verification, according to data shared by the poll panel. According to the EC, eight parliamentary seats spread across six states are involved. The total number of polling stations for which verification has been sought is 92. Candidates who come second or third and seek verification of the EVMs will have to pay Rs 47,200 per EVM set, according to the standard operating procedure issued by the EC on June 1. According to the EC's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the cost submitted by manufacturers BEL and ECIL to carry out EVM "check and verification" is Rs 40,000 (plus 18 per cent GST) per set of EVM. "In addition to the cost incurred by the manufacturers, there are also administrative costs like cost of labour to shift the units, CCTV coverage, electricity charges, videography costs and various other operational costs at the district election officer level," the document said. It, however, said to make the <keyword id="21143428" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="verification-process" source="keywords">verification process</keyword> "more accessible" and inclusive in compliance to the referred mandate of the Supreme Court, it is decided that instead of going purely by the actual economic costs incurred, the administrative expenditure on <keyword id="22122362" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="EVM-verification" source="keywords">EVM verification</keyword> will be treated as "election expenditure and borne by the central or state government, as the case may be". "Accordingly, the administrative charges will be waived for the applicants -- the same shall not be charged to the applicants," it noted. The charges for EVM verification to be paid by the applicant candidate is for the current financial year 2024-25 -- till March 31, 2025, it said. An EVM set has at least one Ballot Unit, one Control Unit and a <keyword id="19975285" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vvpat" source="keywords">VVPAT</keyword> machine. Separately, YSRCP and BJD candidates from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha respectively have also applied for EVM check following the announcement of assembly results on June 4. Assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh were held along with the Lok Sabha elections. In the verification exercise for assembly poll results, total assembly constituencies involved are three where verification has been sought in 26 polling stations. According to the SOP, the concerned state chief electoral officer (CEO) was required to communicate to the manufacturers the consolidated list of applicants within 30 days of the date of declaration of results -- by July 4. The CEOs have already conveyed the same to the manufacturers 15 days ahead of the schedule, the EC said. The technical SOP enumerating the methodology and steps for checking and verification of burnt memory/ micro-controller of the EVM units will be issued by the EC in due course.

EC receives applications for EVM verification on 8 LS seats in 6 states

Amaravati (<keyword id="20058008" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="andhra" source="keywords">Andhra</keyword> Pradesh) [India], March 12 (ANI): In the run-up to the elections for the state assembly and Lok Sabha, the Telugu Desam Party (<keyword id="19910623" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tdp" source="keywords">TDP</keyword>), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Jana Sena Party (JSP) sealed a seat-sharing pact in Andhra Pradesh on Monday. TDP chief and former Andhra Chief Minister <keyword id="20138505" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="n-chandrababu-naidu" source="keywords">N Chandrababu Naidu</keyword> announced that his party has 'forged a formidable seat-sharing formula' among its alliance partners. "In Amaravati today, the BJP, TDP and JSP forged a formidable seat-sharing formula. With this significant step, the people of Andhra Pradesh now stand on the threshold of reclaiming our state and paving the way for a brighter future. I humbly call upon my people of Andhra Pradesh to shower their blessings upon this alliance, and grant us a historic mandate to serve them," Naidu said in a post on X. "Under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword>, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and the Jana Sena Party (JSP) have decided to contest the ensuing Lok Sabha and <keyword id="20088504" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vidhan-sabha" source="keywords">Vidhan Sabha</keyword> elections in Andhra Pradesh together," a joint statement of the parties said. According to the statement, the BJP will contest from six seats, the TDP from 17 seats, and the JSP from two seats for the parliamentary elections. According to the statement, the BJP will contest from six seats, the TDP from 17 seats and the JSP from two seats for the parliamentary elections. In the assembly elections, the BJP will contest from 10 seats, the TDP from 144 seats and the JSP from 21 seats, as per the statement. The seat-sharing was finalised at a meeting held at Amaravati today following the meeting between the three parties in Delhi, where an alliance was formalised. Union Minister <keyword id="20923739" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gajendra-singh-shekawat" source="keywords">Gajendra Singh Shekawat</keyword>, BJP National Vice President Baijayant Panda, TDP National President N Chandrababu Naidu and JSP President <keyword id="20009920" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pawan-kalyan" source="keywords">Pawan Kalyan</keyword> participated in the meeting, the statement said. The statement further said that the names of the seats will be announced subsequently by the respective parties. The TDP, which was part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance until 2018, expressed interest in reviving the alliance after suffering a crushing defeat in the 2019 elections. The state has 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 Assembly seats. Elections for Lok Sabha polls are expected to be held in April-May. (ANI)

Pawan Kalyan's Janasena, TDP, BJP forge 'seat-sharing formula' for assembly, LS polls

The <keyword id="19895876" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Election-Commission-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Election Commission of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Election Commission of India">Election Commission of India</keyword> (ECI) has officially announced the schedules for the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, setting the stage for crucial state elections next month. Here’s what voters in these states can expect: <h2>Maharashtra: Single-phase voting on November 20</h2>Maharashtra will head to the polls in a single phase on November 20, with vote counting scheduled for November 23. This election will see a high-stakes contest between two major coalitions: the <keyword id="19924537" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maha-Vikas-Aghadi" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Maha Vikas Aghadi" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Maha Vikas Aghadi">Maha Vikas Aghadi</keyword> (MVA) and the <keyword id="21555670" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maha-Yuti-Alliance" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Maha Yuti Alliance" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Maha Yuti Alliance">Maha Yuti Alliance</keyword>. The MVA consists of <keyword id="19905331" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uddhav-Thackeray" source="keywords">Uddhav Thackeray</keyword>'s Shiv Sena (UBT), the <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword>, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) under Sharad Pawar. Meanwhile, the Maha Yuti Alliance brings together the <keyword id="19931558" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharatiya-Janata-Party" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bharatiya Janata Party" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Bharatiya Janata Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</keyword> (BJP), Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP. This intense battle for control over the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly follows the end of the current term on November 26. The model code of conduct has come into immediate effect in Maharashtra, guiding political parties on appropriate campaigning practices and ensuring fair elections. <h2>Jharkhand: Two-phase voting on November 13 and 20</h2>In Jharkhand, voting will occur in two phases: the first on November 13 and the second on November 20. The results will be declared on November 23, alongside Maharashtra’s. This election focuses on the 81-seat Assembly, with a fierce competition expected between the ruling <keyword id="20028356" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jharkhand-Mukti-Morcha" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Jharkhand Mukti Morcha" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Jharkhand Mukti Morcha">Jharkhand Mukti Morcha</keyword> (JMM)-Congress alliance and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which includes the BJP, All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), and Janata Dal (United). Jharkhand’s current Assembly term expires on January 5, 2025. The elections will feature 29,562 polling stations across urban and rural areas to accommodate the state’s 2.6 crore registered voters. This diverse electorate includes 66.84 lakh young voters and 11.84 lakh first-time voters, with special arrangements for 3.67 lakh persons with disabilities. <h2>Pre-election preparations</h2>The ECI’s preparations for the elections began in September, with teams visiting both states to assess readiness. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, alongside Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, met with local officials, district collectors, and political representatives to evaluate logistical arrangements and security measures. In Maharashtra, the Maha Yuti Alliance and the MVA have been ramping up their efforts to secure <keyword id="23060079" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="voter-support" source="keywords">voter support</keyword> in what is expected to be a dramatic electoral showdown. In Jharkhand, the ruling JMM, which is part of the INDIA bloc, is eyeing another term despite recent controversies surrounding Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who faced legal challenges earlier this year. The JMM-Congress-RJD alliance remains strong, as the party is expected to contest all 81 seats in the Assembly. (With inputs from agencies)

ECI Announces election schedules for Maharashtra and Jharkhand; both states to vote in November

The tallies for each constituency are in, and the arithmetic for the next government is being worked out. If the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword>) manages to hold onto their alliances, the stage will be set for Modi 3.0. However, if the Congress-led INDIA bloc somehow lures major parties like JD(U) and TDP, they might have a chance, though it is a long shot at the moment. However, with the results out for all 543 constituencies, much has been revealed about the general attitude of the country’s voters. For instance, despite the almost-unshakable belief that the BJP will sweep almost all 80 <keyword id="19894922" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uttar-Pradesh" source="keywords">Uttar Pradesh</keyword> seats — especially after the Ram Mandir inauguration — the party shockingly only managed to win only 33. Some experts speculate that this outcome came from the party failing to address core issues such as employment and economic anxiety, and instead choosing to focus on religious divide to win ballots. Expert institutions, such as Bernstein and Citi Research, have now noted that new spendings may now thus become focused on the poor, women, farmers and rural areas, especially considering how rapidly BJP’s <a href="https://bfsi.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/bias-of-markets-expected-rural-agriculture-to-be-the-new-focus-areas-reports/110728041">vote share has dropped in the rural seats</a>. For context, rural constituencies make up 60% of the total constituencies in India, according to The Economic Times. However, this is not to say that the party has clear favourites among the more developed and richer states either. Many of the richest Indian states have expressed mixed to lukewarm reactions towards BJP this election cycle, and even delivered unexpected shockers. For instance, the NDA lost a lot of ground in Uttar Pradesh, <keyword id="19897316" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maharashtra" source="keywords">Maharashtra</keyword> and Rajasthan — some states with the biggest economies in the country. As for the current scenario, the party favourite remains mixed. Considering that the country has delayed the National Survey by four years, we have to rely on independent sources to come up with more current state-wide economic statistics. Therefore, as per the India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra), <keyword id="19896017" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karnataka" source="keywords">Karnataka</keyword>, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat formed the five largest state economies in India in the 2023 Financial Year. Let’s take a look at how India’s wealthiest states voted in <keyword id="20886626" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-2024" source="keywords">Lok Sabha 2024</keyword>. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Karnataka" comment="subhead" text="Karnataka">Karnataka</cmsannotation> Despite struggles with making headway in the South, the BJP had made a clean sweep in Karnataka, bagging 25 seats in the 2019 general elections. While the BJP-JD(S) alliance has managed to retain a majority in the southern state with 17 seats, <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword> made an impressive comeback this year, winning 9 seats compared to the 1 in the last election cycle. JD(S) managed to capture the remaining two seats. As for the four Bengaluru constituencies, BJP managed to cling onto all of them as well, with Tejasvi Surya in Bengaluru South, Shobha Karandlaje in Bengaluru North, P. C. Mohan in Bengaluru Central and C. N. Manjunath in Bengaluru Rural. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Uttar Pradesh" comment="subhead" text="Uttar Pradesh">Uttar Pradesh</cmsannotation> As mentioned earlier, the biggest controversies came out of Uttar Pradesh. Housing prominent figures such as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state has been widely considered as a stronghold for the saffron party, who had won a whopping 62 seats in 2019. However, resident voters were determined to take to the booths to voice their dissent this year. Of the 80 UP constituencies — by far the state with the largest number of seats — 37 were won by the Samajwadi Party. Meanwhile, the BJP held onto 33 seats, and the INC 6. The difference is stark: BJP lost 27 of the seats it won in the previous election cycle. Many prominent figures were dethroned this year, including Smriti Irani in Amethi, Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra in Kheri and Maneka Gandhi in Sultanpur. However, perhaps the biggest shocker came from the fact that the BJP also lost the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, which housed the contentious Ram Temple. Awadesh Prasad of the Samajwadi Party will be chairing the constituency for the next five years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, contested for the Varanasi seat, beating INC’s Ajay Rai by a margin of 2.5 lakh votes. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Maharashtra" comment="subhead" text="Maharashtra">Maharashtra</cmsannotation> Another of the biggest losses for the BJP also saw a resurgence for Congress in the state with the highest <keyword id="35050" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gdp" source="Orion">GDP</keyword>. While the NDA had clinched 41 out of the 48 seats in the previous 2019 elections, it managed to bag a paltry 9 this time around. While this is a monumental loss for the ruling party, they managed to hold firmly onto most of the coastal Konkan belt. Headed by the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP won 7 of the 12 coastal seats, including in Palghar, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg and Mumbai North. Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (UBT) maintained its hold on half of the six Mumbai constituencies. Of the four Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) seats, NCP (SP) won Bhiwandi, Shinde-led Shiv Sena won Thane and Kalyan and BJP won Palghar. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Tamil Nadu" comment="subhead" text="Tamil Nadu">Tamil Nadu</cmsannotation> Of all the economic powerhouses, Tamil Nadu was the only state untouched by the BJP this year. Out of the 39 seats in the state, the MK Stalin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) came out victorious in 22, the INC won 9, while a coalition of other parties bagged the remaining seats. This was a massive win for the DMK, especially considering the two major opposition parties, the AIADMK and BJP, had come together to contest this year. Considered by many as BJP's most promising candidate, K Annamalai, too lost to DMK’s Ganapathi P Rajkumar in Coimbatore. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Gujarat" comment="subhead" text="Gujarat">Gujarat</cmsannotation> While most of the other states endured major plot-twists, the story has remained almost the same for Narendra Modi’s home state, Gujarat. As per final polls, the BJP won 25 of the total 26 seats in the state, falling short of a full clean sweep due to INC clutching the final one. However, the INC win in the Banaskantha Lok Sabha seat was no small victory, considering this was the first time in a decade that the party had made ground in the western state. Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah contested and won from state capital Gandhinagar by a massive margin of nearly 7.5 lakh votes.

Lok Sabha 2024: How BJP, Congress and other parties have performed in states with largest economies in India

<keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword> candidate and Olympic wrestler <keyword id="19895499" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Vinesh-Phogat" source="keywords">Vinesh Phogat</keyword> has emerged victorious in the fiercely contested <keyword id="23069853" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Julana" source="keywords">Julana</keyword> Assembly seat in <keyword id="19904807" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Haryana" source="keywords">Haryana</keyword>’s <keyword id="19958795" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jind-district" source="keywords">Jind district</keyword>. According to the Election Commission, Phogat secured her maiden political win over <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BJP" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="BJP">BJP</keyword> rival Yogesh Kumar by a margin of around 6,000 votes. Early trends indicated Phogat’s lead over Kumar, which progressively widened as the day progressed, culminating in a decisive victory after 15 rounds of vote counting. Polling for the assembly elections in Haryana took place on October 5, with vote counting commencing at 8 AM today. Phogat totaled 65,080 votes, capturing the attention of both supporters and political analysts who lauded her successful transition from a celebrated wrestler to a formidable political figure. Notably, Phogat’s win brings the Julana seat back into Congress’s hands after 19 years. Bajrang Punia, a fellow wrestler and Congress leader who joined the party alongside Phogat, took to social media to express his support and pride. On platform X, he wrote, “Many congratulations to the country's daughter Vinesh Phogat for her victory. This fight was not just for one Julana seat, it was not just with 3-4 other candidates, it was not just a fight between parties. This fight was against the strongest oppressive forces in the country. And Vinesh emerged victorious.” As Congress celebrated Phogat’s success, the party raised concerns over alleged discrepancies in the Election Commission’s real-time data display. Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera stated, “There is a mismatch in the actual number of rounds counted and the number of rounds being shown on the television through the Election Commission data. The EC data is lagging behind; they are still showing fourth or fifth-round data while 11 rounds have been counted. Our General Secretary Communications has tweeted to the Election Commission asking – are [they] trying to put pressure on the local administration by delaying the display and uploading of data. In J&amp;K you are getting live data with every round counted but in Haryana, it is not so.” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh echoed these concerns, questioning the accuracy of the election data displayed. He remarked, “Like the Lok Sabha elections, in Haryana, we are again witnessing a slowing down of uploading up-to-date trends on the ECI website. Is the BJP trying to build pressure on the administration by sharing outdated and misleading trends?” Vinesh Phogat’s win in Julana marks a significant political debut, as she navigates a new arena beyond the wrestling mat. The victory represents not only a win for Congress in Haryana but also an influential addition to the party’s roster as it seeks to counter BJP’s influence in the state. As the results solidify, Phogat’s supporters are celebrating the historic nature of her triumph and its broader implications for Haryana’s political landscape. This story underscores the shifting dynamics within Haryana’s political scene, with Phogat’s victory exemplifying Congress’s strategic push to appeal to voters through candidates who resonate on a personal level with constituents. The state now waits to see how Phogat will leverage her influence both within her party and her constituency in the coming years. (With inputs from agencies)

From disqualified in Olympics to gold in Haryana: Vinesh Phogat wins big in Julana, ending BJP's 19-year streak

<ul><li>BJP-Sena combine win 161 seats, Congress and allies win 98 and others in 29.</li><li>Sharad Pawar comes back from the shadows to drive his party NCP to better-than-expected performance. </li><li>The seat sharing and negotiations will get tougher after Sena has made its stance of equal sharing, clear.</li></ul>The Bharatiya Janata Party-Sena alliance won 161 seats while the Congress-NCP combine won 98 seats. Independents and other parties managed to win around 29 seats, as per election commission. While the results came as per expected, it did not match the sky high expectations of poll pundits and other experts. A few exit polls even predicted over 225 seats for the BJP combine but NCP make a comeback under the active campaigning of Sharad Pawar who did not contest in this election himself. "Those who have rebelled have not done well," commented Pawar speaking to the media today. The 78 year old put up a tough fight by campaigning extensively even during rains, even as he was being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. In fact, a large number of MLAs and other assemblymen had quit the party right before the elections. Shiv Sena too won more seats than expected in 48 constituencies. It is now all set to make a significant contribution to the Maharashtra government. "We (Amit Shah and himself) have agreed on a portfolio number and we expect to stick to that," said Uddhav Thackeray speaking to the press today. His son Aaditya Thackeray won his first election in the Worli constituency with over 25,000 vote margin. Sena's better than expected win could cause cracks in the fragile bond between the coalition partners, as Sena might now seek a higher representation in the ministry. Poll analysts believe that Sena might now propose a rotational chief ministership and even the deputy chief minister's post. <table style="border-collapse:collapse;border:none;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor:text1;mso-yfti-tbllook:1184;mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"><tbody><tr><td style="border:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"></td><td style="border:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor: text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">Won </td> <td style="border:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor: text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">Leading </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor: text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> BJP-Shiv Sena </td> <td style="border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor: text1;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1; mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">161 </td> <td style="border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor: text1;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1; mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">0 </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor: text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> Congress-NCP </td> <td style="border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor: text1;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1; mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">98</td> <td style="border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor: text1;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1; mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">0</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor: text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> Others </td> <td style="border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor: text1;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1; mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">29</td> <td style="border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor: text1;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1; mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">0</td> </tr> </tbody></table> The vote share percentages over the last assembly elections however remained on similar lines. <table style="border-collapse:collapse;border:none;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor:text1;mso-yfti-tbllook:1184;mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <tbody><tr> <td style="border:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> </td> <td style="border:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor: text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> 2019 vote share </td> <td style="border:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor: text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> 2014 vote share </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor: text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> BJP </td> <td style="border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor: text1;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1; mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> 26.2% </td> <td style="border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor: text1;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1; mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> 28% </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor: text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> Shiv Sena </td> <td style="border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor: text1;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1; mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> 17.7% </td> <td style="border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor: text1;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1; mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> 19.9% </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor: text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> Congress </td> <td style="border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor: text1;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1; mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> 15.6% </td> <td style="border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor: text1;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1; mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> 18.1% </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor: text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> NCP </td> <td style="border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor: text1;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1; mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> 16.7% </td> <td style="border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor: text1;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1; mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-themecolor:text1; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:text1;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> 17.4% </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Maharashtra was once a Congress stronghold but few remember it to be so. Even fewer debate the ability of the ruling Sena-BJP government to come into power. In fact, all the discussion is around the number of seats that the ruling government will win. A few exit polls even predicted that it will cross 220 out of the total seats of 288. These numbers are mostly based on how the state voted in for the Lok Sabha elections. But in spite of being dubbed Maharashtra’s Modi, the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis a debutante has a new set of problems. For one, a lot has changed since Modi came into power—and not for the better. The country is growing at a slower pace, and many industries like the auto sector have come to a grinding standstill. The state contributes around 12% to the country’s GDP with its capital also being the country’s financial capital. It also bears the worst of the ongoing slowdown. The state’s cultural capital isn’t doing too well either as Pune’s auto component and manufacturing sector is at the receiving end of job crisis. But the Fadnavis government has done what few states could—in the last five years—reduce its debt <a href="https://www.opindia.com/2019/10/poll-promise-vs-performance-of-devendra-fadnavis-govt-in-maharashtra/">by around</a> 9%. Moreover , the state’s fiscal deficit also reduced slightly. The government also claims to have kickstarted many irrigation projects that remained stalled during the Congress rule. In fact, NCP supremo’s son Ajit Pawar was the center of a massive irrigation scam in the last decade. But, the ruling government said that it brought 13 lakh hectares of land under irrigation during the tenure. But not all farmers are happy. Though they are being able to produce more, they are unhappy with the government’s attitude to minimum support prices. In fact, not one but two large protests were taken up by farmers as they marched from Nasik to Mumbai seeking a bailout package along with price support. Sharad Pawar who is not contesting this time around but campaigned extensively, took it up as a poll issue. In-fighting with Sena The state government has faced many internal headwinds as well. The allies Shiv Sena and BJP are not up in arms. This alliance was forged before Modi came into power in 2014 when few knew that BJP would have a far-reaching mass appeal. At the central level too, BJP as a party is getting stronger and its local Saffron cousin isn’t too impressed with the treatment. BJP is also turning a lot more assertive in the state. It has put its own candidates to fight in Sena strongholds of Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindudurg—which are traditional Sena bastions. In a ludicrous manner, BJP calls it a ‘friendly fight’. Sena party chief Uddhav Thackeray is not impressed. Shiv Sena which was formed by his father, Bal Thackeray, is formed on deep rooted connections with the soil and takes pride in it. A national level party wrenching control of it, hurts it at many levels. In a rare interview, Uddhav said that being second fiddle is not what he has in mind for his party. He even said that he forsees a time when a Sena candidate would be the CM, and his more ambitious son—Aditya Thackeray —is also making his debut in politics. This infighting might break the vote as people doubt the long-term prospects of the alliance going ahead.

It's a bittersweet win for BJP & Sena in Maharashtra— fewer seats to take and larger egos to battle

<ul><li>The newly crowned CM of Maharashtra, <keyword id="193503" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Eknath-Shinde" source="Orion">Eknath Shinde</keyword>, called himself, ‘the original Sainik’. </li><li><keyword id="6379318" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="uddhav" source="Orion">Uddhav</keyword> doesn’t have to claim to belong to a party that his father founded. </li><li>A Saamna editorial compared Uddhav’s resignation to that of Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1996. </li><li>If a split happens, it would be the second one after Uddhav’s cousin Raj Thackeray split the party in 2006 to form MNS. </li><li>There are three deciding factors that will play a role in whose <keyword id="6394856" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="sena" source="Orion">Sena</keyword> will be the actual Shiv Sena.</li></ul>To an angry <keyword id="53973" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uddhav-thackeray" source="Orion">Uddhav Thackeray</keyword>, nothing much has changed – a Shiv Sena man has exited the CM’s office and yet another Sainik has taken over. “You could have done this two and a half years back,” he rebuked in a press conference, about the BJP party head, Amit Shah. On the other side, the newly crowned CM Eknath Shinde, called himself, ‘the original Sainik’. Uddhav however, with his famous last name doesn’t have to claim to belong to a party that his father founded. Yet, citizens are concerned about which faction of Sena is the real Sena? <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Who gets the bow and arrow?" comment="subhead" text="Who gets the bow and arrow?">Who gets the bow and arrow?</cmsannotation> If a split happens, it would be the second one after Uddhav’s cousin Raj Thackeray split the party in 2006 to form his own outfit Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). Shinde has the numbers on his side, with 40 MLAs while Uddhav has 16 MLAs on his side. If the earlier split is a learning experience, it’s not the numbers but the part that has the biggest backing can call itself Shiv Sena. It all boils down to which party gets the party symbol, the bow and arrow – will maintain perpetuity. While Shinde is yet to challenge Uddhav’s position as the party chief, the latter has one more trick up his sleeve – the Sena mouthpiece, Saamna. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Uddhav compared to Vajpayee" comment="subhead" text="Uddhav compared to Vajpayee">Uddhav compared to Vajpayee</cmsannotation> Saamna, the daily newspaper has been taking the voice of Balasaheb Thackeray to the lanes of small towns across Maharashtra for 34 years now. Its editor is Rashmi Thackeray, Uddhav’s wife and the paper has already pontificated the CM’s exit. The editorial compared his resignation to that of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s in 1996 ahead of a trust vote after BJP emerged as the single largest party but woefully short of seats to form the government. They couldn’t get even one MP to come to their side, and that’s when Vajpayee gave his most memorable speech ever in a career full of poetic discourses. <div type="image" title="Uddhav Thackeray" msid="92612100" hostid="261" sizebytes="80740" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Uddhav Thackeray with Governor B S Koshyari and others.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> “Mandi saji hui thi, maal bhi bechne ke liye tayar tha, par humne kharidi nahin ki (A market was created, there were sellers too but we did not buy,” he told the speaker, amidst thumping of members. The editorial quoted it back. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Money, party workers and the split" comment="subhead" text="Money, party workers and the split">Money, party workers and the split</cmsannotation> There is one more deciding factor in the Sena split – the party workers. A few lakhs of young volunteers have been the strength of Sena and they have been lacking the personal touch that they received from Uddhav’s father. In fact, MLAs too have been complaining about his uppity nature which not only let his son keep three ministries under him, but was not meeting MLAs, and has been tight fisted about distribution of public funds as well. “MLAs receive funds from the government to spend towards their constituents. A lot of MLAs have been unhappy that Congress gets a larger share of these funds and that has made them weaker in their constituencies,” said a Sena insider who has been working with the party for over ten years. As less trickled out, party workers too have been feeling slighted in spite of the fact that “their party” rules the CM’s chair. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The Anand Dighe’s disciple" comment="subhead" text="The Anand Dighe’s disciple">The Anand Dighe’s disciple</cmsannotation> Shinde, on the other hand, has always been a man of the masses – having learnt from the best, his mentor Anand Dighe. The late Sena strongman was so powerful and well known in Thane as he used to hold emperor-style darbars everyday, solving big and small problems alike from troubles with neighbours to hooligans teasing their daughters. In fact, that’s the introduction scene of the recently-released Marathi movie ‘Dharam Veer’ which is a biopic made on Dighe. After members of a Brahmin society complain in the darbar about the nuisance created by a Thane dance bar closeby, Shinde dashes into a bar, hitting the offenders and bringing them to his knees. The Sena insider also tells another secret behind Shinde’s power – he is the moneymaker. In fact, he is richer than another Sena member Sanjay Raut, who is currently being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). “The fact that ED never did touch him in spite of how rich he was, shows that he was probably hand in glove with BJP for a long time,” the insider says. Both Uddhav and Shinde have arsenals — the former has legacy, a newspaper, and now even sympathy. The latter has money, men and the support of a national party — and now he also holds power. It’s left to be seen what people choose to go for — backing a winner or picking the underdog — both popular vote banks in India. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/india/news/college-dropout-auto-driver-original-sainik-ekanth-shindes-rocky-ride-to-cms-seat/articleshow/92592685.cms">College dropout, auto driver, ‘original Sainik’ — Ekanth Shinde’s rocky ride to CM’s seat</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/india/news/eknath-shinde-says-balasahebs-sainik-has-become-the-chief-minister/articleshow/92586373.cms">Eknath Shinde says Balasaheb's Sainik has become the chief minister</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/india/news/uddhav-thackeray-the-accidental-chief-minister/articleshow/92559485.cms">Uddhav Thackeray: The accidental chief minister</a>

It’s not the CM seat but the one who wields ‘bow and arrow’ will be the Sena head

<ul><li>Sena’s Raut wondered if Modi was "kept away" by top BJP leaders from the decision taken over seat-sharing. </li><li>According to Raut, if Modi knew about the seat-sharing formula "in time", Maharashtra wouldn’t have been facing the current political impasse. </li><li>On Wednesday, Shah said that Sena's demands including sharing the chief minister's post, were "unacceptable" to BJP. </li></ul>Shiv Sena leader <keyword id="6355496" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sanjay-Raut">Sanjay Raut</keyword> on Thursday said that had BJP president Amit Shah informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the "50:50" seat-sharing formula "in time", Maharashtra would not have been facing the current political impasse. Raut wondered if Modi was "kept away" by top BJP leaders from the decision taken over seat-sharing. Shah on Wednesday said the Shiv Sena's demands, including sharing the chief minister's post, were "unacceptable" to the BJP. He also rejected Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's claim that the BJP agreed to share the CM's post with the ally, saying Prime Minister Modi many times and he "at least 100 times" said in public during the Assembly polls campaign that Devendra Fadnavis will again head the government if the saffron alliance gets a majority. Reacting to it, Raut said, "Had Shah informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about this decision of '50:50 formula' in time, we would not have been facing this situation today." "I heard Modi (during poll campaigns) saying that Fadnavis will continue as the chief minister of Maharashtra, but we maintained the decorum and did not object it as we did not see it as a political message to us," he said. "I wonder whether Modi was kept away by top BJP leaders from the decision taken between the BJP and Shiv Sena over seat-sharing," the Rajya Sabha member said. He said Shah and Thackeray had met at the latter's residence in Mumbai (in February before the Lok Sabha polls). "It was the drawing room of late Balasaheb Thackeray, but for us it is a temple. The talks were held in the temple. If someone says no promises were made, it is an insult of the temple, Balasaheb Thackeray and Maharashtra," Raut said, adding that the room is a "holy place" for Shiv Sainiks. Shah, in a statement on Wednesday, did not touch upon the details of the agreement between the two allies of 30 years, saying it is not the values of the BJP to bring to public what has been discussed in private. Hitting out at Shah's remarks, Raut said, "When a promise made behind closed door is not kept, then only it comes out. We never trade in politics nor we see politics from the angle of profit or loss. We are making it public because it is about our self-respect." President's rule was imposed in the state on Tuesday after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari sent a report to the Centre, stating that formation of a stable government was impossible in the current situation despite all his efforts. The BJP and Shiv Sena, which fought the October 21 state polls in alliance, secured a comfortable majority by winning 105 and 56 seats, respectively, in the 288-member Assembly. But the BJP did not cede the Sena's demand of sharing the chief minister's post, leading to falling apart of the nearly three-decade-old alliance. The Congress and NCP won 44 and 54 seats, respectively, in the last month's polls. After the imposition of President's rule in the state, the Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP leaders on Wednesday held hectic parleys to work out a 'common minimum programme' for government formation.

Sena wonders if Amit Shah kept Modi in the loop about their 50:50 formula

With the early trends in all 182 seats of Gujarat Assembly coming in, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="14666" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bjp" source="Orion">BJP</keyword>) was seen inching towards an all-time high record of 149 seats. As per the latest trends, the party was leading in 149 seats, the number of seats which the <keyword id="1575" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="congress" source="Orion">Congress</keyword> had won in the 1985 election under the leadership of Madhavsinh Solanki, in what remains a record till date. The BJP was all set for a sweeping victory for the eighth term in a state where it has not lost an election since 1995. The Congress was ahead in 19 seats and the Aam Aadmi Party (<keyword id="6356115" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="aap" source="Orion">AAP</keyword>) in 9, according to the first trends of all the seats in the state Assembly as reported by the Election Commission. The others were leading in five seats, including a candidate of the Samajwadi Party in Kutiyana seat of Porbandar district and four independents in Dhanera, Vaghodia, Santrampur and Deesa. After registering initial gains, the Congress and AAP slipped while the BJP continued to improve its tally to reach the tally of 149. A number of sitting BJP MLAs were among those leading in the initial trends. Party leaders like Jitu Vaghani, Purnesh Modi, Kanubhai Desai and Hardik Patel were among those ahead of their rivals. AAP's chief ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi was leading in Khambhalia. The party's candidates were also leading in Jamjodhpur, Dediapada, Dhari, Vyara, Botad, Bhiloda, Gariadhar and Limbayat. AAP state chief Gopal Italia was trailing in Katargam seat and Alpesh Kathiriya was trailing in Varachha Road seat, both in Surat. The BJP has so far received 53.62 per cent vote share, Congress 26.57 per cent and AAP 12.80 per cent. The results of the two-phase elections, held earlier this month, will be watched more for the performance of the Congress and the new poll entrant AAP, which seem to be locked in a battle to grab the status of the main opposition party in the state. While the Congress was not expected to replicate its creditable performance of the last Assembly elections in 2017, a good showing by the AAP would have helped its leader Arvind Kejriwal cement his place as a key challenger to Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="Orion">Narendra Modi</keyword> in the parliamentary elections due in 2024. The Modi government is struggling with issues like rising inflation, slowing growth and joblessness, but economic troubles are unlikely to dent the BJP's popularity in Gujarat that has been a bastion of the party for decades and where Modi was the chief minister from 2001 to 2014. Gujarat has 182 Assembly seats and the majority mark is 92. Exit polls have predicted the BJP will comfortably win a seventh straight term -- an outcome that will equal the Left Front's feat in West Bengal. For the Congress, its role as the main challenger to the BJP is at stake. Thursday's results will reveal if the party's silent campaign has cut ice with people. The party's campaign, mostly shouldered by local leaders, has leaned on door-to-door canvassing for votes as its leader Rahul Gandhi, who had aggressively campaigned in the 2017 elections, chose to stay away to focus on the Bharat Jodo Yatra. For the AAP, which carried out a high-decibel campaign, the elections in Gujarat are an opportunity to establish itself as a pan-national party and a challenger to BJP at the national level. Emboldened by the victory in the Delhi municipal elections, the AAP hopes its politics of welfarism will be accepted by the people in Gujarat. That said, the BJP has had to battle anti-incumbency after being in power for 25 years. It is banking on Modi's charisma and appeal to contain anti-incumbency. Modi addressed as many as 30 election rallies. Unemployment, price rise, water not reaching certain pockets of the state, land acquisition for big projects and farmers not getting proper compensation for crop damage due to excess rains were among key issues of the campaign this time. The voter turnout this time dropped 4 per cent compared to 2017, signalling fatigue and possible disillusionment among some supporters of BJP. While the contest in Gujarat has traditionally been between the BJP and Congress, it turned three-cornered this time with the entry of the AAP. Altogether 182 counting observers and as many election officers along with 494 assistant election officers will be on duty for the entire counting process, the official said. A three-tier security system has been ensured at all the counting centres with local police and personnel of State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), the CEO said. The fate of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s chief ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi, youth leaders Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mevani and Alpesh Thakor, among a total 1,621 candidates will be decided on Thursday. A total of 70 political parties and 624 independents were in the fray. Apart from the main rivals BJP, Congress and AAP, 101 candidates from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and 26 from Bharatiya Tribal party (BTP) also contested. In the 2017 Assembly polls, BJP won 99 seats and Congress 77 seats, while two seats went to BTP, one to NCP, and three to independents. Ahead of this month's elections, the BJP's number in the House stood at 110 and Congress at 60 after 20 MLAs who won on Congress seats switched over to the BJP in the last five years, three of them quitting just ahead of the elections. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/rate-hike-to-affect-housing-demand-in-the-mid-and-affordable-segments-say-experts/articleshow/96076359.cms">Rate hike to affect housing demand in the mid and affordable segments, say experts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/dharmaj-crop-guard-lists-at-12-premium-but-below-grey-market-expectations/articleshow/96075246.cms">Dharmaj Crop Guard lists at 12% premium but below grey market expectations</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/top-searches-on-google-in-india-in-2022/slidelist/96075404.cms">IPL to KGF Chapter 2 to FIFA World Cup, here are the top Google searches in India in 2022</a>

Gujarat assembly elections: BJP inches towards all-time high record of 149 seats

Laapata Ladies, Bridgerton and Heeramandi might have dominated the OTT cycle last month, but none of these dramas can hold a candle to the absolute thriller that unfolded during the Lok Sabha election cycle this year. While the parties scramble to decide their allegiances, most people are already convinced about a result familiar to the previous two general elections: <keyword id="20509939" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-3-0" source="keywords">Modi 3.0</keyword>. However, the road to the end has proven anything but a bed of lotuses for the Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword>). Despite staunch optimism of winning 400 out of 543 seats, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (<keyword id="19938590" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NDA" source="keywords">NDA</keyword>) managed to capture only 293 — a margin barely above the 272 seats majority, and dozens below their 2014 and 2019 standings. Then came the fact that the BJP, with only 240 seats won, would have to be supported by two major partner parties: the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Janata Dal (United), if they wished to finalise a majority and form the next Lok Sabha. This meant that the ball currently remains in the courts of these two quintessential “Kingmakers”; will they keep their pre-poll promises to ensure the continuity of Mr Modi, or usurp him by joining the opposition <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="INDIA" source="keywords">INDIA</keyword> bloc? This mystery may linger not just this week, but throughout the term of the next government given the fickle nature of the Indian political system. As we move into the final few legs of this political marathon, the story has only taken a turn for the juicier. According to media reports, INDIA has now offered the position of Deputy Prime Minister to JD(U) Nitish Kumar and a special status to Andhra Pradesh (with TDP majority) if the parties align with the alliance and forsake their NDA partnership. If they agree, the INDIA-TDP-JD(U) coalition could overthrow BJP-NDA to form the government, making for the biggest <keyword id="21945335" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="political-plot-twist" source="keywords">political plot twist</keyword> in decades. While we wait for the historical gavel to drop, let’s take a look back at the other bombshells to have come out of the tallying process so far. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="BJP falls short of majority" comment="subhead" text="BJP falls short of majority">BJP falls short of majority</cmsannotation> Despite battle cries of ‘Abki baar 400 par’, the Modi-led party has failed to cross the required 272 seats necessary for a clear majority and stands far below their performances in 2014 and 2019. They are no longer self-sufficient enough to make a third term without the support from allies. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="BJP loses ground in Hindi Heartland" comment="subhead" text="BJP loses ground in Hindi Heartland">BJP loses ground in Hindi Heartland</cmsannotation> The northern states, which constitute a large section of the Hindi-speaking population, have been considered BJP’s biggest loyalists. Despite this, the party has faced unexpected stiff competition in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Haryana. These are crucial states for the BJP, as they hold a large number of seats and losing a majority of these seats has weakened their moral position. While some blame the loss on the anger of dominant castes in the region, others say that the party ignored these stronghold regions in pursuit of expansion to the east and south. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="NDA wins below 300 seats, far below landslide 400 predictions" comment="subhead" text="NDA wins below 300 seats, far below landslide 400 predictions">NDA wins below 300 seats, far below landslide 400 predictions</cmsannotation> Not only has BJP itself been unable to capture the required majority, their NDA coalition hasn’t even touched 300 Lok Sabha seats. This indicates a significant loss of public support compared to predictions. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="BJP loses Ram Temple Constituency" comment="subhead" text="BJP loses Ram Temple Constituency">BJP loses <keyword id="41267" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ram-temple" source="Orion">Ram Temple</keyword> Constituency</cmsannotation> Construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has been one of BJP’s most prominent election promises in the past two elections. Despite delivering on this front, the party has lost the Faizabad seat to Samajwadi Party candidate Awadhesh Prasad. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Lotus blooms down south" comment="subhead" text="Lotus blooms down south">Lotus blooms down south</cmsannotation> BJP opened its account for the first time in Kerala with a win for actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi at the Thrissur seat. In Telangana, both BJP and Congress put up a strong performance by winning eight seats each and sidelining the regional parties. However, for the BJP, Tamil Nadu was a disappointment as it failed to win even one seat despite immense push from all quarters. The party did manage to increase the vote share to double digits despite a lack of support from the regional parties. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="BJP wins all Delhi seats" comment="subhead" text="BJP wins all Delhi seats">BJP wins all Delhi seats</cmsannotation> Making a hat-trick, the BJP won all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi for the third time, beating the Congress-AAP alliance. <h3>Individual/Regional Politics</h3><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Rahul Gandhi wins two seats" comment="subhead" text="Rahul Gandhi wins two seats">Rahul Gandhi wins two seats</cmsannotation> After a risky contest for two seats in Kerala’s Wayanad and Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli, the Congress leader has won both by a massive margin. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Kangana Ranaut wins Himachal seat" comment="subhead" text="Kangana Ranaut wins Himachal seat"><keyword id="10343350" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kangana-ranaut-wins" source="Orion">Kangana Ranaut wins</keyword> Himachal seat</cmsannotation> The celebrity candidate’s debut resulted in a strong win for the Mandi seat for BJP. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Smriti Irani loses" comment="subhead" text="Smriti Irani loses">Smriti Irani loses</cmsannotation> Despite high expectations, Smriti Irani loses the Amethi seat by a large margin to Congress’ Kishori Lal Sharma. This is a high-profile defeat for a key BJP figure. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Shashi Tharoor faces a brief hiccup" comment="subhead" text="Shashi Tharoor faces a brief hiccup">Shashi Tharoor faces a brief hiccup</cmsannotation> Earlier trends had briefly indicated trouble for the recurrent Thiruvananthapuram MP. However, the tides turned quickly, handing Tharoor the win over Rajeev Chandrasekhar. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Former cricketer Yusuf Pathan wins" comment="subhead" text="Former cricketer Yusuf Pathan wins">Former cricketer Yusuf Pathan wins</cmsannotation> Stepping up to politics for the first time, cricketer turned politician Yusuf Pathan won West Bengal’s Baharampur seat for the Trinamool Congress. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Jailed pro-Khalistani candidate victorious in Punjab" comment="subhead" text="Jailed pro-Khalistani candidate victorious in Punjab">Jailed pro-Khalistani candidate victorious in Punjab</cmsannotation> Amritpal Singh, a notable Khalistan supporter and independent candidate clinched the Khadoor Sahib seat from jail in Punjab. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Sexual assault-accused Prajwal Revanna pulls considerable vote share" comment="subhead" text="Sexual assault-accused Prajwal Revanna pulls considerable vote share">Sexual assault-accused Prajwal Revanna pulls considerable vote share</cmsannotation> Despite a final win by Congress candidate Shreyas M. Patel in Karnataka’s Hassan constituency, JD(U)’s Prajwal Revanna garnered 46.5% of the total votes. This has occurred despite being in police custody and having a massive sexual assault case lodged against the candidate. <h3>Other notable events</h3><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Indore sets record for highest NOTA voters" comment="subhead" text="Indore sets record for highest NOTA voters">Indore sets record for highest NOTA voters</cmsannotation> Controversy had earlier erupted in Indore after Congress candidate Akshya Kanti Bam deferred to BJP shortly before the voting process had begun. In response, over 2 lakh voters placed their bets on ‘None of the Above’, expressing dissatisfaction with the choices presented to them. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Stock market falls by COVID-19 levels" comment="subhead" text="Stock market falls by COVID-19 levels">Stock market falls by COVID-19 levels</cmsannotation> Anticipating an easy win and stable third term for Modi, the Indian stock surged right before the election. However, government uncertainty later on spurred the Nifty and BSE Sensex indices to crash by as much as 8.5%.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Biggest shockers to come out of the thrilling election results

The <keyword id="20000743" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RJD" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="RJD" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="RJD">RJD</keyword> on Tuesday afternoon claimed that Bihar Chief Minister <keyword id="19907431" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Nitish-Kumar" source="keywords">Nitish Kumar</keyword> and Telugu Desam Party president <keyword id="19926151" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandrababu-Naidu" source="keywords">Chandrababu Naidu</keyword> "shared a dislike for vendetta politics" which could lead them away from the BJP-led <keyword id="19938590" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NDA" source="keywords">NDA</keyword>. RJD national spokesperson Manoj <keyword id="20785661" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kumar-jha" source="keywords">Kumar Jha</keyword> also recalled the forecast of Kumar, who heads the JD(U), that "those who came to power will be ousted in 2024", and the efforts he made in laying the foundation of the <keyword id="19895684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="INDIA-bloc" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="INDIA bloc" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="INDIA bloc">INDIA bloc</keyword>. "We have been, formerly, in alliance with both Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu. We know they share a dislike for vendetta politics which the <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BJP" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="BJP">BJP</keyword> stands for. Narendra Modi seems to be on his way out. We are hopeful that the two leaders will play a crucial role in the change of guard at the Centre," Jha told reporters here. He also made it clear, "I am making no appeal to Nitish Kumar or Chandrababu Naidu. I am only expressing my hope, given the understanding I have of their temperament". Notably, the JD(U) has put up a better than expected performance in <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> polls, establishing a lead in 14 out of the 16 seats it had contested, surpassing the BJP which had fought 17 but was trailing in five of these. In Bihar, the INDIA bloc was leading in only eight out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats but Jha was confident that the numbers would look up for the coalition in the state, even as he complained about the tardy pace of counting. "We have written to the Election Commission drawing attention towards the extremely slow pace of counting. Only 3-4 lakh votes have been counted till afternoon in most seats in Bihar where, on an average, about 10 lakh people have exercised their franchise in each constituency," said Jha. "We are confident that as the counting progresses, in many seats where we are trailing by slender margins, the picture will change. But we urge the Election Commission to carry out the exercise as per the rule book and not act on any telephone calls they may be getting from Delhi," said the Rajya Sabha MP, who has been alleging that the poll panel has often acted under pressure from the ruling BJP at the Centre. "To all our cadres in the INDIA coalition, I would appeal not to let their guard down. Counting may continue till late in the evening. We must remain vigilant," said Jha. Among the INDIA constituents in Bihar, RJD had contested 23 seats, out of which it was trailing in all but four, while Congress, which got nine seats, was leading in two. The CPI(ML) Liberation, which had contested three seats, was leading in two.

You Searched For "maharashtra seat share sena bjp seat numbers" and got 12 results

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