Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 22 : Ahead of the counting of votes for Maharashtra Election 2024, State's Chief Electoral Officer, S Chockalingam praised the efforts of the Election Commission's officers and employees and said ECI has given "focus, attention and time" for Maharashtra polls.
"Election Commission of India gave a lot of focus, attention and time for Maharashtra this time. Each and every strategy was conceptualised and implemented with high precision. This resulted in a huge number of addition in the voter list also between the Parliament election and the current election. Efforts made to make voting easier, especially in a place like Mumbai where we had some problems at the time of Parliament elections but this time everyone praised the arrangements," he said.
"So, so much of work has been done. Election Commission thanks all the voters who came out to vote on the day to ensure that history is created...We have increased by 5% more. We want to thank all of them. Nearly, 6 lakh officers and employees were putting their efforts to welcome the voters and ensure that they vote very easily...," he added.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi exuded confidence in the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) reclaiming power in Maharashtra as she took a dig at the ruling Mahayuti on Friday. Speaking to ANI, Priyanka said that the people of Maharashtra would free the Mahayuti for the next 25 years and claimed that the MVA would get the majority in the recently held assembly elections.
"People of Maharashtra are going to free them (Mahayuti) for the next 25 years. The government of loot, corruption and Adani is going to end. We will get the majority. They are booking helicopters because they know people will ask them questions and they need to run away," she said.
Prataprao Jadhav, Union MoS in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare was confident that the Mahayuti alliance would return to power.
"Mahayuti will form the government. We are going to win with a majority...The result that will be announced tomorrow will be in our favour...The name of the CM will be announced after the result... There is no competition in the alliance...We will get above 200 seats," he said.
In Maharashtra, the BJP is in alliance with Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena Ajit Pawar-led and Nationalist Congress Party, called the Mahayuti. The Mahayuti is facing a tough battle against the opposition Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA), comprising of Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and Sharad Pawar-led NCP. One needs to secure atleast 145 seats to secure a majority in the 288 seat assembly.