New Delhi, August 16: The Election Commission of India (ECI) will be releasing the dates of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 to take place later this year. As the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha 14th term comes to an end in November 2024, know the past 2019 polling dates, election results as well as the current government status in the state.

When Is the Maharashtra Assembly Term Ending?

The last Maharashtra Assembly Elections were held on October 21, 2019, the current and 14th term of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly is scheduled to end on November 26, 2024. With this term's end close on the corner, another round of the Assembly Elections is due within the next three months to successfully continue the government without an interregnum. As the stage is all set for the 2024 Vidhan Sabha Polls in Maharashtra, let us take a look at the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly Elections. Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: Fresh Face-Off Over ‘CM Face’ in Maha Vikas Aghadi, Seniors Advise Caution.

Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2019 Results

The last Legislative Assembly elections of Maharashtra were held on October 21, 2019, for a total of 288 seats in the assembly, while the results were announced on October 24, 2019. A 61.40% voter turnout was recorded. The major parties that contested the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 were the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Devendra Fadnavis, the Indian National Congress (INC) led by Ashok Chavan, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar and the Shiv Sena (SHS) led by Uddhav Thackeray. There were other minor parties and independent candidates who were also contesting.

The results of the elections saw BJP win the most number of seats - 105 out of the 288, while SHS and NCP won 56 and 54 seats respectively in close competition. The INC secured 44 seats in total. Since none of the parties was able to win an absolute majority of 145 seats to form a single-party government, an alliance was formed under the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) banner between the BJP and Shiv Sena to form the government in Maharashtra. The alliance secured a total of 161 seats together. However, following differences over the formation of government, this alliance was dissolved. Due to the ensuing political crisis in the state, President's Rule was imposed in Maharashtra on November 12, 2019. Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: Devendra Fadnavis To Interact With Women on Rakhi Eve.

On November 23, 2019, although Devendra Fadnavis of BJP and Ajit Pawar of NCP were sworn in as the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively, they both resigned on November 26, before a floor test could be conducted. Finally, another alliance, with the name of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), was formed on November 28, 2019, under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray of SHS, Sharad Pawar of the NCP and Sonia Gandhi of the INC with support from other smaller parties and independents. Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Current Status of Maharashtra Assembly and What To Expect in Maharashtra Assembly Elections in 2024

After a faction of assembly members led by Eknath Shinde of SHS split from Shiv Sena and allied with BJP, the Uddhav Thackeray-led alliance fell. Thackeray resigned as the Chief Minister on June 29, 2022. Eknath Shinde was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Devendra Fadnavis as the Deputy Chief Minister. This status, with a combined government of SHS, NCP and BJP under the Maha Yuti campaign, has been preserved so far.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 16, 2024 01:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).