Maharashtra elections 2024: MVA will win 160-165 seats, says Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut. File Pic

A day after the Maharashtra elections 2024, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday claimed the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will win 160 to 165 seats out of the total 288 and provide a stable government in the state, reported PTI.

The Rajya Sabha member also said the MVA leaders will be meeting on Thursday, ahead of the counting of votes which will take place on Saturday.

After the polling concluded on Wednesday, most exit polls predicted victory for the BJP-led alliance in Maharashtra while some gave an edge to the MVA coalition in the western state, reported PTI.

"We and our allies, including smaller parties like the PWP, Samajwadi Party, the Left parties are crossing the majority mark. We are winning 160-165 seats. There will be a stable government in the state. I can say it very confidently," Raut told reporters.

The MVA comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP).

The ruling Mahayuti consists of the BJP, CM Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and NCP of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

While the Mahayuti alliance is making a determined bid to retain power, the opposition MVA coalition is hoping to continue its good showing in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in the state.

An estimated 65 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the Maharashtra elections 2024 on Wednesday, as per the provisional figures, compared to 61.74 per cent in the 2019 state polls.

Exit polls do not reflect people's sentiment, MVA will win with comfortable majority: Chennithala

Maharashtra AICC in-charge Ramesh Chennithala rejected on Wednesday the exit polls on the possible outcome of the Maharashtra elections 2024, asserting that Maha Vikas Aghadi is poised to clinch a comfortable majority.

"Exit polls do not reflect the sentiments of people," Chennithala said after several pollsters gave a clear edge to the BJP-led alliances in Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly polls, while some put the MVA coalition ahead in the western state, reported PTI.

Most of the exit polls that predicted a landslide victory for the NDA after Lok Sabha elections and those predicted Congress' win in Haryana didn't turn out to be true, he said.

"We will win Maharashtra polls with a comfortable majority. We don't believe in exit polls. Look at the Parliamentary elections and Haryana elections. The exit polls do not reflect people's sentiments," Chennithala told PTI.

The ground reality is MVA scoring the majority and forming a government in Maharashtra, he said.

MVA comprises Shiv Sena, headed by Uddhav Thackeray, Congress, and NCP (SP).

(With inputs from PTI)