NEW DELHI: Aaditya Thackeray, son of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, is leading from Worli with 11,251 votes, while Milind Murli Deora of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is trailing him with 10,853 votes.
As the Mahayuti crossed the majority mark of 145 seats, according to initial trends from the Election Commission of India, MVA’s Aaditya Thackeray managed to maintain his lead in Worli. Early trends indicate that the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has gained a significant advantage, leading in 78 seats, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance is ahead in 12 constituencies.
On the ground, public sentiment gathered by The New Indian reflects strong hopes pinned on Aaditya Thackeray.
Aaditya Thackeray, the incumbent MLA from Worli, secured over 69% of the vote in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, defeating NCP’s Suresh Mane. He holds the distinction of being the first member of the Thackeray family to contest elections, as neither his grandfather Bal Thackeray, his father Uddhav Thackeray, nor his uncle Raj Thackeray ever contested an Assembly election. Aaditya’s cousin, Amit Thackeray, is also contesting the 2024 Maharashtra elections.
Milind Deora, son of veteran Congress leader Murli Deora, carries a strong political legacy. He was the youngest MP in the 14th Lok Sabha, representing South Mumbai in 2004 and securing re-election in 2009. However, since 2014, Shiv Sena’s Arvind Sawant has consistently won the South Mumbai parliamentary seat.
The counting process is expected to involve at least 20 rounds in each Assembly segment. Counting votes for the Maharashtra Assembly elections began at 8 AM on Saturday, November 23. From the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP contested 149 Assembly seats, Shiv Sena 81 seats, and the NCP fielded candidates in 59 constituencies. Within the opposition combine, the Congress fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) fielded candidates in 86 constituencies.