The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is set to return to power in Maharashtra, with most exit polls predicting that the combine will get over 200 of the 288 seats in the Assembly. An aggregate of various exit polls showed that the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance may win 211 seats and the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) combine may win 64 seats. In the 90-seat Haryana Assembly, the extent of a BJP win was projected to be even more dominant.

The polling for the Maharashtra Assembly concluded on Monday with an average voting percentage of about 55.33 per cent. In the 2014 elections, the percentage was 63.08 per cent. Exit polls held by India Today-Axis My India predicted a easy win for the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance with 166-194 seats. It said the Congress-NCP alliance will get 112 to 140 seats.

The other big exit poll, carried out by New 18-IPSOS, has also predicted that the BJP-Shiv Sena will get 243 seats, while the Congress and its allies will have to be content with 41 seats. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) of Asaduddin Owaisi will get a single seat, it added.

The prognosis by ABP Maza of the ABP News Network placed the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance at 210 seats, the Congress and its allies at 63, and others at 15.

If the predictions true on result day, October 24, the BJP and Shiv Sena will return to power for the third time. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has already set a record by becoming the State’s first Chief Minister to last a full term since 1960.

Political analyst Nagesh Kesari said that after the reorganisation of the constituencies, the urban areas have more seat than the rural ones, but the voting turnout has been higher in rural areas.

In Haryana, the ABP-C Voter forecast 72 and eight seats for the BJP and the Congress respectively. The News 18-IPSOS projected 75 and 10 seats for the two parties respectively. The Times Now survey gave the BJP and the Congress 71 and 11 seats respectively.

Sluggish voting

On Monday, the voting was very sluggish in the morning hours in Maharashtra. Till till 11 am, it was just 17.5 per cent but later picked up the pace. Rains in large parts of the State proved a dampener. Many did not go to the booths since they were unhappy with the choice of candidates.

In fact the voting percentage in the first two hours was also abysmally low at 5.64 per cent. Even in Mumbai City with its never say die attitude, the voter percentage in 26 voting areas was between 2.38 to 7.58 per cent till 9 am. It gathered steam only after the rains subsided.

Along with assembly, one by-election is also being held at Satara, where the sitting MP from NCP, Udayanraje Bhosale had resigned from the party to join BJP.

e.o.m

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