The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is heading for a landslide win in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, with projections showing the coalition leading in 225 seats, far ahead of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which trails with 55 seats. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed heartfelt gratitude to the voters, calling the result a "landslide victory." He thanked various groups, including farmers and senior citizens, for their overwhelming support.

Several high-stakes battles emerged across the state. In Worli, Aaditya Thackeray (Shiv Sena UBT) leads Congress's Milind Deora by 6,120 votes after 12 rounds of counting. The constituency also saw Sandeep Deshpande of MNS vying for votes.

In Baramati, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is ahead of his nephew Yugendra Pawar by a significant margin of 53,502 votes after 20 rounds. Ajit Pawar, representing his faction of the NCP, has secured 99,487 votes, while Yugendra, from Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP), trails with 45,985 votes.

In Vandre (Bandra) East, Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Varun Sardesai is strengthening his lead by 7,789 votes over incumbent MLA Zeeshan Siddique of NCP (Ajit Pawar faction). Sardesai has polled 41,545 votes, while Siddique trails with 33,756.

Veteran BJP leader Mangal Prabhat Lodha retained the prestigious Malabar Hill seat, continuing his legacy since 1995. BJP’s Mumbai unit chief, Ashish Shelar, is also leading by a staggering 32,441 votes. Meanwhile, a tight contest in Thane saw BJP’s Sanjay Kelkar leading with a vote share of 56,522, leaving Sena UBT’s Rajan Vichare far behind.

By 11:00 AM, the Election Commission of India reported that the BJP-led Mahayuti had crossed the majority mark, leading in 220 seats. Within the alliance, BJP leads in 128 seats, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena in 55, and Ajit Pawar's NCP faction in 35. Smaller allies like the Rashtriya Yuva Swabhiman Party (RSHYVSWBHM) lead in two seats.

In contrast, the MVA, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction, trails with 51 seats. Congress leads in 20 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) in 16, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction in 13.

Celebrations erupted at the BJP office in Mumbai, with party workers distributing sweets. BJP spokesperson Pravin Darekar suggested Devendra Fadnavis might return as Chief Minister, saying, “We knew we would win, but never expected such an overwhelming result.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut questioned the mandate, stating, “This cannot be the decision of the people of Maharashtra.” BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla dismissed the claim, responding, “When anyone loses, they start making excuses for their defeat.”

The elections have reshaped Maharashtra’s political landscape, with the Mahayuti alliance poised for a landslide win. As the results solidify, focus now shifts to forming the next government and addressing the state’s future challenges.