Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: Decision on Next Chief Minister Awaits as Mahayuti Secures Landslide Victory

The question of who will become the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra remains unanswered after the Mahayuti alliance achieved a decisive victory, winning 235 out of 288 seats in the state assembly elections. Among the contenders are BJP's Devendra Fadnavis and the current Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde. No final decision has been announced, although Shinde indicated during the counting process that the alliance's three parties would collectively decide on the leadership.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis echoed this sentiment, stating, "We will call all MLAs and then sit together and pick a CM."

In stark contrast, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)—comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction)—managed to secure only 49 seats. The BJP emerged as the strongest party within the Mahayuti alliance, winning 131 seats, followed by Shiv Sena with 57 seats and the NCP with 41 seats.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the alliance's triumph and congratulated Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar for the resounding mandate. Modi highlighted the opposition's poor performance, remarking, "Their slate was wiped clean in Maharashtra today. Congress not only sinks their own ship these days but also that of their allies."

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge expressed disappointment, describing the outcome as unexpected and pledged to analyze the reasons for the loss. "We are true representatives of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Ambedkar's ideology, and will continue this fight," Kharge asserted.

The voter turnout stood at 66.05%, with Mumbai City recording the lowest turnout and Gadchiroli the highest. Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole maintained that pre-election trends favored the MVA, attributing the loss to unforeseen shifts in voter behavior.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat urged the MVA to accept defeat gracefully and dismissed claims of electronic voting machine (EVM) tampering. "If EVMs were hacked, why wasn’t it done in Lok Sabha elections? Accept defeat with an open heart," he stated.

Shirsat also reaffirmed that Shiv Sena MLAs would support any decision made by Eknath Shinde regarding the chief ministerial position, emphasizing unity within the alliance. "Three senior leaders will sit, and whichever name comes forward will get everyone's support," he concluded.

As the political landscape unfolds, the decision on Maharashtra's next chief minister is awaited, keeping the state's political observers on edge.