Mahayuti vs MVA: How Vote Share Stands After NDA’s Landslide Victory

Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024: The BJP -led Mahayuti alliance has delivered a thumping victory in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, securing 229 out of 288 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the single largest party, bagging 132 seats with a vote share of 26.77%. This is a step up from the 2019 Assembly elections, where the BJP had secured 105 seats and a 25.75% vote share. Its ally, the Shiv Sena ( Eknath Shinde faction), added a significant 12.38% vote share, further strengthening the coalition’s hold over the state.

This victory positions the BJP as the undisputed leader in Maharashtra politics, dominating both in terms of vote share and seat tally.

MVA Takes a Drubbing

In sharp contrast, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a crushing defeat. Congress , a key player in the alliance, managed to win only 16 seats, securing a vote share of 12.42%. The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) claimed just 20 seats with a 9.96% vote share, while the NCP ( Sharad Pawar faction) could scrape through with only 10 seats and 11.28% of votes.

The numbers paint a grim picture for the opposition, with the BJP-led alliance storming ahead while the MVA struggles to keep its base intact.

BJP’s Rising Star

The BJP’s performance in this election is a clear signal of its growing strength in Maharashtra. The party has successfully improved its standing from 2019, despite facing setbacks in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Mahayuti alliance’s triumph has been credited to its focus on welfare schemes like the “Ladki Bahin” initiative, which struck a chord with women voters across the state.

Decline for Congress and NCP

On the other side of the political battlefield, the Congress and NCP seem to be losing ground rapidly. While the Congress garnered a vote share of 12.42%, it failed to convert this into meaningful wins. The NCP’s internal split further weakened its performance, with the Sharad Pawar faction getting 11.28% of votes and the Ajit Pawar faction securing 9.01%, most of which benefited the Mahayuti.

Voter Turnout Increases

One of the striking features of this election was the increased voter turnout. Maharashtra recorded 66.05% turnout this year, higher than the 61.1% in 2019. Analysts believe this surge in voting largely benefited the BJP-led alliance, particularly in rural and semi-urban regions where the party’s influence has been growing.