National Approval Ratings: In Maharashtra, BJP-Shiv Sena alliance projected to rout Congress-NCP

With just days to go for the first phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Republic TV and CVoter have published the National Approval Ratings  - the biggest opinion poll ahead of the all-important elections.

In Maharashtra, after months of sniping at one another, the Shiv Sena and the BJP have finally sealed their alliance, though they have given the Congress-NCP combine a substantial head-start

Here are the projections for the state of Maharashtra which sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha:

Vote Share: 

UPA: 36.1%
NDA: 48.5%

Others: 15.4%

Seat Share:

UPA: 13 seats

NDA: 35 seats
Total: 48 seats

As far as the vote-share is concerned, UPA is projected to secure 36.1%, approximately 12% less than the NDA, which is projected to lead with 48.5% votes while others are likely to secure 15.4% In terms of seat-share, BJP-led NDA is projected to have a big win, securing 35 seats, while UPA is projected to win just 13 seats. 

READ: 'Condition Of Congress Like Titanic, It Sinks A Little Deeper Every Day," Says PM Modi In An Address At Maharashtra's Nanded

Earlier, the two parties, BJP and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena were are at daggers drawn over numerous issues, and their alliance, which has run for over two decades, was speculated to be at an end despite the parties being in government at the Centre, the state, and also in the BMC. Since announcing their alliance, the two parties have settled on a formula wherein the BJP will contest from 25 seats and Shiv Sena will contest from 23 seats. The NCP-Congress alliance will have to work harder to gather a larger vote and seat share, as it has announced on several occasions that its main aim is to shame the ruling Maharashtra government on its 'failure' to fulfill poll promises. 

The Congress is in a direct fight with the BJP in four of the seven constituencies and with Shiv Sena in two others in the first phase. In 2014, the BJP and Shiv Sena had together won 41 seats while the NCP won 4 and Congress, only 2.

Maharashtra will vote in the Lok Sabha elections in four phases. The polling dates are April 11, 18, 23 and 29.