Maharashtra Election Results 2024: Sharad Pawar faces worst setback, NCP-SP struggles as Mahayuti alliance dominates
Maharashtra's elections show Sharad Pawar's NCP struggling, potentially winning the least seats among major parties
After nearly six decades in politics, Sharad Pawar has hinted that he will quit active politics after his Rajya Sabha term ends in 2026. So, this will probably be his last Maharashtra Assembly Elections, and Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP), is set to have the lowest number of seats among major political parties in the state.
NCP-SP has won one seat so far, and is leading in 11 constituencies — a dismal performance compared with the Mahayuti alliance, which is set to get another term in the state.
NCP VS NCP battle
Ajit Pawar fielded fewer candidates than Sharad Pawar's party and is winning more seats than Pawar. The BJP contested on 148 seats, Shiv Sena on 80 seats, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP on 53 seats. The rest of the seats went to smaller alliance partners.
The Congress fielded 103 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 89, and NCP (SP) put up 87 candidates. The remaining seats were allocated to smaller parties.
At 2:15 PM, the Mahayuti alliance had comfortably crossed the crucial majority mark. It won eight seats and was leading in over 200 constituencies. Sweets were brought to the residences of Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis, and BJP's Mumbai office buzzed with celebrations.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar joined celebrated in Baramati, where he was leading by over 15,000 votes. At Devagiri, NCP leaders, including Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, and Sunil Tatkare, joined supporters to celebrate the victory.
2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls
In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls, the undivided NCP won 54 seats, more than its ally Congress, which managed to clinch 44. However, even that has changed in these elections. This year, Sharad Pawar's NCP is set to have the lowest number of Assembly seats among major political parties in the state, behind the Congress and even Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena.
Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly were held in a single phase on November 20.
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