Assembly Polls: BJP-Sena Combine Set to Retain Power in Maharashtra

Mumbai: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena alliance on Thursday looked on course to retaining power in Maharashtra, as per latest trends. The BJP was leading in 101 seats, Shiv Sena 64 while the Congress was ahead in 40 and the Nationalist Congress Party in 50 seats. Independents were ahead in 16 seats, as per Election Commission figures

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP has fared better than Congress, which seems to have held on to its tally in 2014 elections.

Counting of votes for all the 288 Assembly segments began at 8 am on Thursday at 269 locations in the state, an official said.

Exit polls have predicted a comfortable win for the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance government in the state.

The polling held on Monday saw a voter turnout of 61.13%, a dip from the 63.20% recorded in 2014, the official said.

Sena Starts Asserting

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said his party and BJP will form the next government in Maharashtra, and stressed the two parties will

stick to the pre-decided "50-50" sharing formula.

With the early trends suggesting the NCP and the Congress collectively fairing better than the 2014 polls, Raut ruled out possibility of the Shiv Sena joining hands with the opposition parties to form the government.

Asked about the possibility of the Shiv Sena embracing the NCP and Congress to form government, Raut said, "No, we fought the polls in alliance with the BJP. We will go ahead with the tie-up. There will be no change in the pre-decided 50-50 formula."

He said Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will hold talks on implementing the formula.

On the Congress and NCP collectively fairing better than the 2014 polls in the state, Raut said the opposition also needs to be strong in a democracy.

He noted that NCP chief Sharad Pawar "using his experience" and fanning parts of the state also gave some success to the opposition party.