According to the recent exit poll trends, the ruling Mahayuti alliance is predicted to be on track to retaining power in Maharashtra, with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) also putting up a strong challenge in the state’s assembly elections. Multiple exit polls released on Wednesday after polling concluded for the 288 seats, predicted the majority for the Mahayuti.
The Republic TV-PMARQ exit poll projected the Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, to secure between 137 and 157 seats, while the MVA, consisting of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP), is predicted to win between 126 and 147 seats. The remaining seats are anticipated to go to other parties, with a range of 2 to 8 seats.
In contrast, the ABP-Matrize exit poll predicted a slightly larger victory for Mahayuti, projecting 150-170 seats for the alliance, while MVA is forecast to win 110-130 seats. The poll also suggested that smaller parties and independents could win between 8 and 10 seats.
The News 24-Today’s Chanakya exit poll placed Mahayuti’s expected seat count at 152-150, while MVA is projected to secure between 130 and 138 seats, with 6-8 seats going to other groups. Meanwhile, the ‘Peoples Pulse’ exit poll forecast a decisive win for Mahayuti with 175-195 seats, leaving MVA with 85-112 seats and others with 7-12 seats.
The majority mark in the Maharashtra assembly is 145 seats. By 5 pm on Wednesday, the state recorded a voter turnout of 58.22%. This election is particularly significant for Maharashtra, as it marks the first assembly poll in Maharashtra following splits within the Shiv Sena and NCP, making the contest between Mahayuti and MVA especially competitive.
As for Jharkhand, in the initial predictions, pollsters have favored the NDA in Jharkhand. The People’s Pulse survey projected the BJP-led NDA to secure 42-48 seats, while the JMM was predicted to win 16-23 seats. The Congress, a JMM ally, is predicted to secure between 8 and 14 seats.