Counting of votes in Maharashtra has picked up pace moments after it began on Saturday morning. The winner to lead the 288-seat Assembly and head the government in the state for the five years will be clear later in the day. However, there is a possibility of no government formation given the power play that may transpire among the six parties who are part of two alliances – Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
The
Maharashtra election 2024 conducted on a single phase on November 20 saw a contest between BJP-led Mahayuti coalition, comprising Shiv Sena (Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar); and MVA alliance of which Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (SP) are part of.
Currently, Mahayuti government is in power in Maharashtra with Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde as the chief minister who has two deputies – Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Ajit Pawar (NCP).
Whichever party or alliance wins the election in Maharashtra, will have to speed up in forming the government as President’s rule will be imposed in the state if no government is formed by the set deadline of November 26.
Let’s take a look at what can possibly happen in Maharashtra, a key state in Indian politics.
To come into power, a party or alliance will have top secure a minimum of 145 seats in the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly.
The early trends show Mahayuti clearly ahead of MVA. If the verdict comes in favour of the alliance, BJP-led Mahayuti will have to brace up to form the government and name their chief ministerial candidate.
The BJP has contested on 149 of 288 seats in the recently held polls in Maharashtra and if it manages to win around 100 seats, it can smoothly claim the formation of the government with Fadnavis as the CM candidate.
But if BJP fails to bag 100 seats and get something below 80, then it will have to rely as well as mull the possibility of government formation with Shinde-led Sena, which contested on 82 seats and Ajit Pawar’s NCP which fielded its candidates on 59 seats. However, in such a scenario, Shinde will possibly make a comeback as the chief minister.
Who will be the chief minister if Mahayuti alliance wins majority will be decided in Delhi after the final Maharashtra election result is out.
If MVA manages to reach the half-way mark of 145, Nana Patole of Congress and Uddhav Thackeray of Sena (UBT) will be the top candidates in the race for the post of the chief minister.
A report by The Indian Express mentioned leaders of the alliance as saying that the party which wins the maximum seats is expected to get the chief ministerial post in the MVA.
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In the last three months, Thackeray has been persistently demanding his alliance partners NCP (SP) and the Congress to decide and declare the CM face, but the two parties have been reluctant to do so.
If a rare condition arises where neither MVA nor Mahayuti secures the majority or half-way mark, then smaller parties will come into play.
Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBA), Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Bachhu Kadu headed third front led, Hitendra Thakur’s Bahujan Vikas Aaghadi (BVA) and Independents would have a bigger role to play if neither MVA nor Mahayuti makes it to power by themselves.
The alliances will be approaching these smaller parties and independents for support to form the government, enticing them with a role in the government.
With inputs from agencies.
Link to article –
Maharashtra election result: Here’s how alliance powerplay will pick pace ahead of Nov 26 deadline
