Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024: Voting for the single-phase Maharashtra Assembly elections started at 7 am on Wednesday and will continue until 6 pm.

The election is being held across 288 assembly constituencies.

Also Read: Maharashtra Election 2024 LIVE Updates: Voting begins for 288 seats. ‘Vote in large numbers,’ appeals PM Modi

Ahead of the polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraged citizens to participate in the voting process through a message posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.

“Today, votes will be cast for all the seats in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. I urge the voters of the state to participate with full enthusiasm and add to the splendour of this festival of democracy. On this occasion, I appeal to all the youth and women voters to come out in large numbers to vote,” PM Modi posted on X.

Meanwhile, security measures in Mumbai have been ramped up. Police have been conducting thorough checks on vehicle movements, particularly in sensitive areas like Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar and Dharavi, to ensure smooth polling operations.

Also Read: Maharashtra Votes Today: WIll EC efforts boost Mumbai’s low voter turnout trends?

To maintain law and order during the elections, Mumbai Police has deployed an extensive security force. Over 25,000 personnel, including riot-control teams and home guards, have been stationed across the city. According to the Brihanmumbai Police Commissionerate, more than 2,000 officers are also on duty to oversee the election process and prevent any untoward incidents. These measures are aimed at ensuring a peaceful and orderly election day for voters across Mumbai.

A total of 4,136 candidates are contesting the elections, including 2,086 independents. The BJP is contesting 149 seats, Shiv Sena 81, and the NCP 59. The Congress has fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) 86. The BSP is contesting 237 seats, while other smaller parties are also in the fray. The state has approximately 9.7 crore registered voters.

Maharashtra witnessed a high-decibel campaign ahead of the elections for its 288 assembly seats. The intense campaigning ended on Monday, November 18, 2024, paving the way for today’s voting.

The battle for power in the Maharashtra Assembly has been characterised by shifting alliances, ideological conflicts, complex caste dynamics, and emotional appeals. The primary contest is between the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction), while the opposition MVA comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).

In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and the Congress won 44. In 2014, the BJP claimed 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42.