Thane (Maharashtra) [India], November 20 : Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde on Wednesday claimed that the Maha Vikas Aghadi was formed out of lust for power and expressed confidence that voters will show them their place in the Assembly elections and vote for development.
Speaking to reporters Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde said, "Today women will play an important role in strengthening democracy. Just as the government stood up to empower women and supported them, women will also stand with the government in the same way. In 2019, people gave a clear mandate to Mahayuti, but in the greed for power, some people formed Maha Vikas Aghadi, but in this election, people will show them their place and vote for development."
Earlier, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde described the elections as a "festival of democracy" and urged everyone to participate actively, while also highlighting the difference in governance during the rule of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the Maha Yuti.
"Today is the festival of democracy, and everyone should participate and vote. This will strengthen Maharashtra and its democracy. People have not forgotten what happened in 2019. The mandate was for Maha Yuti, but Maha Yuti could not form the government. People have seen their (Maha Vikas Aghadi) 2.5 years of rule and our 2.5 years of development. Mahayuti will form the government with a huge majority," Shinde said.
A voter turnout of 18.14 per cent was recorded till 11 am in the single-phase assembly elections in Maharashtra.
As per the ECI, Deoghar recorded a turnout of 32.84 per cent, Dhanbad 28.02 per cent, Dumka 33.05 per cent, Giridih 31.56 per cent, Hazaribagh 31.04 per cent, Jamtara 33.78 per cent, Ramgarh 33.45 per cent, Ranchi 34.75 per cent and Sahebganj 30.90 per cent.
The voter turnout for the Nanded Parliamentary constituency in Maharashtra was recorded at 12.59 per cent till 11 am.
Earlier today, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), under the leadership of the BJP, is certain to win in both Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly polls.
In Maharashtra, the primary contest is between the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction), while the opposition MVA comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).
In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and the Congress won 44. In 2014, the BJP claimed 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42.