22 November,2024 06:01 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Balasaheb Thorat. File pic
Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat on Friday said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will form the next government in state after the Maharashtra Assembly election 2024, the PTI reported.
The MVA comprises of the Congress, Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP SP) and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).
Speaking ahead of the counting of votes in the Maharashtra assembly polls on Saturday, Balasaheb Thorat, who is the Congress' frontrunner for the CM's post, said, "We (MVA) won't have any difficulty in definitely and easily forming the next government in the state," according to the PTI.
Balasaheb Thorat, who met Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar in Mumbai, told reporters, "Our numbers will be so good that we won't even have to look for the numbers from outside the MVA coalition."
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Thorat, who is seeking re-election as an MLA for the ninth term, faced a challenge from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena's Amol Khatal in Sangamner constituency in the November 20 elections.
Situated in Ahilyanagar district, Sangamner encompasses parts of the Rahata tehsil and the entire Sangamner tehsil.
The constituency is part of the Shirdi Lok Sabha seat, which includes five other assembly segments: Akole, Shirdi, Kopargaon, Shrirampur, and Nevasa.
Counting of votes in the Maharashtra assembly election 2024 will begin at 8 am on Saturday, with all eyes on the outcome of the battle between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which is seeking to make a comeback, as per the PTI.
The final turnout in the polls, held on November 20, was 66.05 per cent, up from 61.1 per cent in 2019, election officials said.
Counting of votes will also be held for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, where 67.81 per cent voting was recorded on November 20.
Kolhapur district led with 76.63 per cent polling, followed by 75.26 per cent in Gadchiroli, which has some Left Wing Extremism affected pockets, while the lowest was in Mumbai island city at 52.07 per cent. Mumbai suburban district recorded 55.95 per cent polling.
A total of 288 counting centres have been set up for the counting of votes on Saturday, including one for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll.
A total of 288 counting observers will oversee each assembly constituency, with two observers assigned to monitor counting in Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, an official said, the news agency reported.
(with PTI inputs)