NEW DELHI: There could be a tight race in Maharashtra with NDA and I.N.D.I.A bloc running neck and neck.
Following the culmination of the final phase of voting on June 1, exit polls indicate a closely contested battle in Maharashtra between the incumbent coalition Mahayuti and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). With 48 Lok Sabha seats, Maharashtra ranks as the second-highest seat contributor in the country. According to ITV Network’s D-dynamics, the NDA in Maharashtra is projected to secure 34 seats, while the I.N.D.I.A. bloc may clinch 13 seats, with one seat potentially going to other parties.
ABP-C voters foresee a neck-and-neck competition in the state. Their projections suggest the NDA winning between 22 and 26 seats, while the INDIA bloc is expected to secure between 23 and 25 seats.
The same exit poll indicates a vote share of 45.3% for the NDA, 44% for the MVA, and 10.7% for other parties, though they may not translate into seats for the latter. In 2014, the BJP-led alliance seized 42 seats, followed by 41 seats in 2019. However, this time, a tougher contest looms. Breaking down the party-wise projections, BJP is anticipated to secure 17 seats, while its allies Shiv Sena and NCP may garner 6 and 1 seat, respectively.
Conversely, Shiv Sena (UBT) may bag 9 seats, Congress 8, and NCP (SP) 6 seats. Other exit polls lean towards Mahayuti’s advantage in Maharashtra; NDTV’s Jan Ki Bat anticipates 34 to 41 seats, the highest among the various polls. However, alternative projections like Time Now predict 2 seats, and News 18 estimates seats between 25 and 35. For the opposition MVA, a component of the broader INDIA bloc, exit polls predict between 20 and 25 seats, with NDTV’s Jan Ki Bat projecting 9–16 seats, the lowest among its peers.
TV9’s exit poll suggests a possible setback for Ajit Pawar in the Baramati constituency, with Sharad Pawar’s daughter, Supriya Sule, likely to emerge victorious. The constituency witnessed a contest between Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra and Supriya Sule, while Eknath Sinde’s son Shrikant Shinde is predicted to triumph in Kalyan, and Independent candidate Vishal Patil is tipped to win in the Sangli constituency.
Reacting to the exit polls, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam expressed confidence, stating, “I believe that the NDA is poised to replicate its 2019 performance in Maharashtra and will not incur any losses.” Meanwhile, Congress leader Nana Patole remarked, “The India bloc is on track to secure 300 seats.”