Shiv Sena-BJP combine has a comfortable lead as counting of votes for Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections 2019 goes on. However, Shiv Sena seems to have gotten a jolt on its 'home' ground, quite literally. Shiv Sena's Vishwanath Mahadeswar has lost against Congresss' Zeeshan Baba Siddique in Vandre East. Matoshree, the residence of the Thackeray family falls in Vandre or Bandra East.
What may add to the sting of defeat is that Vishwanath Mahadeshwar is Mayor of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). iN 2014, Shiv Sena has registered a victory in Vandre East assembly constituency. Shiv Sena's Prakash (Bala) Sawant had netted the seat for Shiv Sena.
Loss of Vandre East is not likely to dent Shiv Sena-BJP's plans to regain hold on power in Maharashtra. BJP-Shiv Sena combine has been able to go past 160 seats (leading+won) as of now.
Although Shiv Sena-BJP 'Mahayuti' seems certain to come back to power, their aim of winning more than 220 seats seems beyond their reach. In an exclusive interview with India TV before elections, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said that Shiv Sena-BJP will be able to go past 220. Mharashtra Legislative Assembly has 288 seats.
Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) seem to be upping their tally as compared to that in 2014 Maharashtra Elections.
In the 2014 Maharashtra assembly elections, BJP emerged as the single largest party winning 122 seats.
The Shiv Sena, which contested alone, came second with 63 seats. The Congress and NCP bagged 42 and 41 seats respectively.
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