As the results of the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections come in, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance appears poised for a commanding victory, leading in 215 constituencies with six confirmed wins. However, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), has raised concerns over the fairness of the election, particularly questioning the role of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi expressed disbelief over the wide margin in the results, saying, “All the surveys indicated a close contest, or Maha Vikas Aghadi had the upper hand. I visited many places where people expressed their support for us but also suggested we should pay attention to the EVMs.” Chaturvedi further questioned the legitimacy of the results, saying, “This is mentally unacceptable. These numbers raise doubts about whether this election was truly free and fair.”
Echoing similar concerns, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate brought up the issue of EVMs and the delay in the election process. She stated, “There should be a discussion on how elections were postponed and how Mahayuti was given extra time to launch their schemes.” Despite these concerns, Shrinate maintained that the Congress-led alliance would continue to meet the expectations of the people, stating, “We will deliver to the people’s expectations for sure.” However, she did admit that the results had been disappointing for her party.
As of the latest updates, the Mahayuti alliance, which includes BJP, Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, remains firmly ahead with 215 seats. In contrast, MVA, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP), has only secured 56 seats.
The election saw a voter turnout of 66.05% on November 20, 2024, slightly higher than the 61% recorded in the 2019 state assembly polls.
