With the close of nominations for Maharashtra?s upcoming Assembly elections, the seat-sharing arrangements between the ruling Mahayuti coalition and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) have taken shape. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest the largest number of seats, fielding candidates in 148 out of the total 288 assembly constituencies, while the Congress has confirmed 103 candidates.

Mahayuti Coalition?s Seat Distribution

Under the ruling Mahayuti alliance, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde?s Shiv Sena has allocated 80 seats for its candidates. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar?s faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will contest 53 seats. Additionally, five seats were reserved for other Mahayuti allies, leaving two seats without an official decision on candidate nominations.

Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Seat Allocation

The opposition MVA alliance, led by Congress, Uddhav Thackeray?s Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), has also formalized its seat-sharing plan. Congress has put forward candidates for 103 seats, while Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) will contest 89 and 87 seats, respectively. Six seats were allocated to other MVA partners, and three seats remain undecided.

Record Number of Nominations Filed

The state?s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) reported that nearly 8,000 candidates have filed nominations for the 288 assembly seats. A total of 7,995 candidates submitted 10,905 nominations, marking a significant turnout from both ruling and opposition parties.

The nomination process commenced on October 22 and concluded on October 29. Verification of documents and nomination scrutiny is scheduled for October 30, while candidates have until November 4 to withdraw their nominations.

The Assembly elections are set for November 20, and with the official candidate lists finalized, both alliances will now focus on campaign efforts in what is anticipated to be a closely contested election.