HomeCultureUnderstanding The Maharashtra Election: A Comprehensive Analysis

Understanding The Maharashtra Election: A Comprehensive Analysis

Introduction:

Maharashtra Is One Of The Most Populous And Economically Significant States In The Nation, Hence Its Election Is Quite Important On The Indian Political Scene. With A Focus On The Major Contenders, Issues, And Ramifications For The Political Future Of The State, This In-Depth Analysis Seeks To Explore The Nuances Of The Maharashtra Election.

Historical Background:

On 16th March 2024, the Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the 2024 Indian general election, with Maharashtra scheduled to vote during the first five phases on 19, 26 April, 7, 13 and 20 May.

Maharashtra Election
Phase wise schedule of 2024 Indian general election in Maharashtra
  Phase I
  Phase II
  Phase III
  Phase IV
  Phase V
Poll event Phase
I II III IV V
Notification Date 20 March 28 March 12 April 18 April 26 April
Last Date for filing nomination 27 March 4 April 19 April 25 April 3 May
Scrutiny of nomination 28 March 5 April 20 April 26 April 4 May
Last Date for withdrawal of nomination 30 March 8 April 22 April 29 April 6 May
Date of poll 19 April 26 April 7 May 13 May 20 May
Date of counting of votes/Result 4 June 2024
No. of constituencies 5 8 11 11 13

Constituencies in each phase:

Phase Poll Date Constituencies[3] Voter Turnout (%)
I 19 April Ramtek, Nagpur, Bhandara–Gondiya, Gadchiroli–Chimur, Chandrapur 63.71%
II 26 April Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal–Washim, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani 62.71%
III 7 May Raigad, Baramati, Osmanabad, Latur, Solapur, Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri–Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, Hatkanangle
IV 13 May Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Aurangabad, Maval, Pune, Shirur, Ahmednagar, Shirdi, Beed
V 20 May Dhule, Dindori, Nashik, Palghar, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Thane, Mumbai North, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North East, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai South Central, Mumbai South

Parties and alliances:

  National Democratic Alliance:

Party Flag Symbol Leader Contesting Seats
Bharatiya Janata Party Devendra Fadnavis 28
Shiv Sena Eknath Shinde 15
Nationalist Congress Party Sunil Tatkare 4
Rashtriya Samaj Paksha Mahadev Jankar 1
Total 48

  Indian National Developmental Inclusive
      Alliance:

Party Flag Symbol Leader Contesting Seats
Shiv Sena (UBT) Uddhav Thackeray 21
Indian National Congress Prithviraj Chavan 17
Nationalist Congress Party (SP) Supriya Sule 10
Total 48

Candidates:

Constituency
NDA INDIA
1 Nandurbar (ST) BJP Heena Gavit INC Adv. Gowaal K Padavi
2 Dhule BJP Subhash Bhamre INC Dr. Shobha Dinesh Bachhav
3 Jalgaon BJP Smita Wagh SS(UBT) Karan Pawar
4 Raver BJP Raksha Khadse NCP(SP) Shriram Patil
5 Buldhana SHS Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav SS(UBT) Narendra Khedekar
6 Akola BJP Anup Dhotre INC Abhay Kashinath Patil
7 Amravati (SC) BJP Navneet Kaur Rana INC Balwant Basawant Wankhede
8 Wardha BJP Ramdas Tadas NCP(SP) Amar Sharadrao Kale
9 Ramtek (SC) SHS Raju Devnath Parwe INC Shyamkumar Daulat Barve
10 Nagpur BJP Nitin Gadkari INC Vikas Thakare
11 Bhandara–Gondiya BJP Sunil Mendhe INC Dr. Prashant Yadavrao Padole
12 Gadchiroli–Chimur (ST) BJP Ashok Nete INC Dr. Namdeo Dasaram Kirsan
13 Chandrapur BJP Sudhir Mungantiwar INC Pratibha Suresh Dhanorkar
14 Yavatmal–Washim SHS Rajashri Hemant Patil SS(UBT) Sanjay Deshmukh
15 Hingoli SHS Baburao Kadam Kohalikar SS(UBT) Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar
16 Nanded BJP Prataprao Govindrao Chikhalikar INC Vasantrao Balwantrao Chavan
17 Parbhani RSPS Mahadev Jankar SS(UBT) Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav
18 Jalna BJP Raosaheb Danve INC Dr. Kalyan Kale
19 Aurangabad SHS Sandipanrao Bhumre SS(UBT) Chandrakant Khaire
20 Dindori (ST) BJP Bharati Pawar NCP(SP) Bhaskar Bhagare
21 Nashik SS(UBT) Rajabhau Waje
22 Palghar (ST) SS(UBT) Bharti Kamdi
23 Bhiwandi BJP Kapil Patil NCP(SP) Suresh Mhatre
24 Kalyan SHS Shrikant Shinde SS(UBT) Vaishali Darekar Rane
25 Thane SHS Naresh Mhaske SS(UBT) Rajan Vichare
26 Mumbai North BJP Piyush Goyal INC Bhushan Patil
27 Mumbai North West SHS Ravindra Waikar SS(UBT) Amol Kirtikar
28 Mumbai North East BJP Mihir Kotecha SS(UBT) Sanjay Dina Patil
29 Mumbai North Central BJP Ujjwal Nikam INC Varsha Gaikwad
30 Mumbai South Central SHS Rahul Shewale SS(UBT) Anil Desai
31 Mumbai South SHS Yamini Jadhav SS(UBT) Arvind Sawant
32 Raigad NCP Sunil Tatkare SS(UBT) Anant Geete
33 Maval SHS Shrirang Barne SS(UBT) Sanjog Waghere Patil
34 Pune BJP Murlidhar Mohol INC Ravindra Hemraj Dhangekar
35 Baramati NCP Sunetra Pawar NCP(SP) Supriya Sule
36 Shirur NCP Shivajirao Adhalarao Patil NCP(SP) Amol Kolhe
37 Ahmednagar BJP Sujay Vikhe Patil NCP(SP) Nilesh Dnyandev Lanke
38 Shirdi (SC) SHS Sadashiv Lokhande SS(UBT) Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure
39 Beed BJP Pankaja Munde NCP(SP) Bajrang Sonawane
40 Osmanabad NCP Archana Ranajagjitsinha Patil SS(UBT) Omprakash Rajenimbalkar
41 Latur (SC) BJP Sudhakar Tukaram Shrangare INC Dr. Shivajirao Kalge
42 Solapur (SC) BJP Ram Satpute INC Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde
43 Madha BJP Ranjit Naik-Nimbalkar NCP(SP) Dhairyasheel Mohite Patil
44 Sangli BJP Sanjaykaka Patil SS(UBT) Chandrahar Patil
45 Satara BJP Udayanraje Bhosale NCP(SP) Shashikant Shinde
46 Ratnagiri–Sindhudurg BJP Narayan Rane SS(UBT) Vinayak Raut
47 Kolhapur SHS Sanjay Mandlik INC Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj
48 Hatkanangle SHS Dhairyasheel Sambhajirao Mane SS(UBT) Satyajeet Patil

Surveys and polls:

Opinion polls:

Polling agency Date published Margin of Error Lead
INDIA NDA Others
ABP News-CVoter April 2024[4] ±3-5% 18 30 0 NDA
ABP News-CVoter March 2024[5] ±5% 20 28 0 NDA
India TV-CNX March 2024[6] ±3% 13 35 0 NDA
India Today-CVoter February 2024[7] ±3-5% 26 22 0 I.N.D.I.A.
ABP News-CVoter December 2023[8] ±3-5% 26-28 19-21 0-2 I.N.D.I.A.
Times Now-ETG December 2023[9] ±3% 16-20 27-31 1-2 NDA
India TV-CNX October 2023[10] ±3% 20 28 0 NDA
Times Now-ETG September 2023[11] ±3% 16-20 26-30 1-2 NDA
August 2023[12] ±3% 15-19 28-32 1-2 NDA
India Today-CVoter August 2023[13] ±3-5% 28 20 0 I.N.D.I.A.
Polling agency Date published Margin of Error Lead
INDIA NDA Others
ABP News-CVoter April 2024[14] ±3-5% 30 18 0 NDA
ABP News-CVoter March 2024[5] ±5% 42.1% 42.7% 15.2% 0.6
India Today-CVoter February 2024[15] ±3-5% 45% 40% 15% 5
India Today-CVoter August 2023[13] ±3-5% 45% 40% 15% 5

Maharashtra’s Political History Has Been Influenced By Numerous Socio-Cultural Elements, As Well As Significant Political Movements. The State Has Seen Tremendous Political Changes Over The Years, From The Samyukta Maharashtra Movement To The Emergence Of Regional Groups Like The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) And The Shiv Sena. It Is Essential To Comprehend This Historical Background In Order To Understand The Dynamics Of The Current Election.

Dynamics Of Elections:

The Maharashtra Elections Are Marked By Intricate Electoral Dynamics, As Numerous Political Parties Contend For Dominance Among Both Urban And Rural Voters. Voter Preferences And Electoral Outcomes Are Greatly Influenced By Factors Like Alliances, Development Objectives, Regional Desires, And Caste Dynamics.

Important Rivals:

A Number Of Significant Political Parties Are Participating In The Maharashtra Election, Including The Indian The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) And The National Congress (INC). These Parties Compete For Dominance In The State, And They Are Joined By Smaller Regional And Independent Candidates To Compose The Electoral Scene.

Shiv Sena-BJP Dynamics:

In Maharashtra Politics, The BJP-Shiv Sena Alliance Has Dominated The Political Landscape By Consistently Winning Big Electoral Victories. But There Have Also Been Times When The Relationship Has Been Strained, Especially During The 2019 State Elections When The Two Parties Ran Independent Campaigns Before Coming Together As A Post-Election Coalition.

Aspirations For The Region:

Maharashtra Is A Multi-Ethnic State With Specific Goals For Each Of Its Areas, Especially In Western Maharashtra, Vidarbha, And Marathwada. Parties Have Crafted Their Plans To Handle Issues Including Water Distribution, Autonomy, And Regional Development, Which Have Frequently Been At The Center Of Election Disputes These Worries.

Agrarian Policies And Farmer Distress:

Given The Sizeable Agricultural Industry In Maharashtra, Agrarian Distress And Farmer Welfare Have Become Hot Political Topics. Land Acquisition, Crop Failure, Drought, And Minimum Support Prices Are Just A Few Of The Issues That Have Sparked Farmer Demonstrations And Impacted Election Results. Different Political Parties Have Responded With Different Agrarian Policies And Relief Initiatives.

Urban-Rural Disparity:

The Urban-Rural Divide Is Also Evident In The Maharashtra Election, As Parties Customise Their Platforms And Advertising To Target Distinct Demographic Groups. Rural Communities Frequently Concentrate On Agriculture, Irrigation, And Rural Development Initiatives, Whereas Urban Constituents Prioritize Concerns Like Infrastructure, Employment, And Governance Reforms.

Community And Caste Factors:

Politics In Maharashtra Is Heavily Influenced By Caste And Community Factors, With Parties Attempting To Garner Support From A Variety Of Caste Groupings And Societies. The Sociological Fabric Of The State, Which Is Marked By The Existence Of Minority Populations, Obcs, Dalits, And Marathas, Affects Campaign Tactics, Candidate Selection, And Electoral Coalitions.

Economic And Industrial Development:

Maharashtra Is A Major Economic Powerhouse That Is Home To Important Financial, Commercial, And Industrial Areas. The Electoral Rhetoric Is Heavily Centered On Issues Pertaining To Industrial Growth, Investment, Job Creation, And Infrastructure Development, As Competing Parties Seek To Showcase Their Own Visions For The State’s Economic Future.

The Leadership Quotient:

In Maharashtra Elections, The Leadership Element—Embodied By Potential Chief Ministers And Party Leaders—Often Makes A Significant Difference. Voter Impressions And Electoral Outcomes Are Influenced By The Charisma, Credibility, And Record Of Leaders. Political Parties Portray Their Leaders As Capable Administrators And Change Agents.

Coalitions And Alliances In Elections:

Coalitions For Elections And Coalitions Frequently Influence Maharashtra’s Political Scene, As Parties Join Forces Before Or After Elections To Increase Their Chances Of Winning. The Characteristics Of These Coalitions, Such As Arrangements For Power And Seat Distribution, Have A Big Impact On How The Election Turns Out.

Strategies For Campaigns:

In Maharashtra, Election Results And Voter Perceptions Are Greatly Influenced By Campaign Tactics. Parties Use A Variety Of Strategies To Effectively Engage Voters And Spread Their Message, Such As Large-Scale Rallies, Door-To-Door Campaigns, Social Media Outreach, And Advertising Blitzes.

Role Of Election Commission:

For Maharashtra’s Elections To Be Free, Fair, And Transparent, The Election Commission Of India Is Essential. The Election Commission’s Supervision Guarantees The Integrity Of Everything From Candidate Nomination And Voter Registration To Polling Place Administration And Result Announcement The Election Procedure.

Governance Consequences:

The Results Of The Maharashtra Election Will Have A Big Impact On The State’s Administration, Policy-Making, And Governance. It Is The Winning Party Or Coalition’s Job To Carry Out Its Election-Related Pledges, Deal With Important Issues, And Lead The State Toward Development And Prosperity That Benefits All Citizens.

Summary:

The Dynamic Political Environment Of Maharashtra, Which Is Defined By A Variety Of Socioeconomic Considerations, Regional Aspirations, And Electoral Dynamics, Is Reflected In The State’s Election. Voters’ Choices Now, As Maharashtra Begins A New Political Adventure, Will Determine The Course Of The State For Years To Come. In Order To Navigate The Path Towards A Successful And Inclusive Maharashtra, Politicians, Experts, And Citizens Alike Must Comprehend The Subtleties Of The Electoral Process And Its Outcomes.

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