The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena alliance was set to retain power for a second consecutive term after it secured 161 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, as per the Election Commission of India (ECI) figures of the results of 286 constituencies as at midnight, Thursday-Friday.
The BJP had won 105 seats while ally Shiv Sena bagged 56 seats crossing the half-way mark of 144 seats.
The Opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also put up a magnificent show by winning 54 seats and ally Congress won 44 with a combined tally of 98 seats.
Among the smaller parties and independents, the Bahujan Vikash Aghadi had won three seats, while the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, Prahar Janshakti Party and Samajwadi Party have emerged victorious in two seats each.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Swabhimani Shetkari Party, CPI(M), Rashtriya Samaj Party, Jan Surajya Party and the Krantikari Shetkari Party have bagged one seat each.
Besides, as many as 13 independents were declared victorious across the state.
While the Congress has said it bows before the peoples' verdict, the NCP has offered support to the Shiv Sena if it was willing to form a government.
Countering all speculation, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted that the next government will be formed by the 'Maha-Yuti'.
However, the Sena President Uddhav Thackeray virtually staked claim to the post of CM by "reminding" the BJP of its 50:50 power-sharing formula finalized before the Lok Sabha elections.
He said the Sena was ready to discuss it with anybody including BJP President Amit Shah, in a transparent manner, and was in "no hurry" to form the government without discussions with his party leaders.
Festival of democracy enters second leg with 88 Lok Sabha seats across India set to vote
While 89 constituencies were slated to go to polls in the second phase, as per the initial announcement by the Election Commission, voting in Madhya Pradesh's Betul was advanced to the third phase on May 7 following the death of the BSP candidate in the fray.
Tripura BJP issues show-cause notice to party leader for slamming TMP chief Pradyot Debbarma
A day before the second phase of Lok Sabha elections, the ruling BJP in Tripura on Thursday served a show cause-notice to one of the party’s Vice-Presidents, Patal Kanya Jamatia, who accused Tipra Motha Party (TMP) chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma of “spreading hatred” among tribals and non-tribals in the state.
PM Modi ups ante against Congress, says Rajiv Gandhi abolished inheritance law to 'save own interests'
Upping the ante against the Congress on the 'inheritance tax' issue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched another scathing attack on the grand old party, saying it was former PM Rajiv Gandhi who abolished the inheritance law "to save their own interests" after the demise of his mother Indira Gandhi.
Multi-cornered contest in Tripura East LS seat going to polls on Friday
A multi-cornered contest will be witnessed in the Tripura East Lok Sabha seat, which goes to the polls in the second phase of the 7-phase parliamentary elections on Friday.
Credit card data of 17K ICICI Bank users exposed; bank blocks cards, assures compensation
After credit card data of at least 17,000 new ICICI Bank customers was exposed and reached "wrong users", the bank said on Thursday that it has blocked these cards and is issuing new ones to the customers.
TRIPURA: BSF jawan on election duty dies after rifle accidently goes off
In a tragic incident amid the preparation for the second phase of polling in Tripura, a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan, who was engaged in election duty died after his rifle went off accidentally.
13.96 lakh voters to cast vote in 1664 Polling stations tomorrow
Although nine candidates are in the fray in the Tripura East Lok Sabha constituency, the main battle will be mainly between BJP candidate Kirit Singh Debbarma and CPIM candidate Rajendra Reang.
CM leads campaign with vigor, Completes 30 rallies, 18 road shows covering over 6,000 km
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha vigorously campaigned for BJP candidates in the Lok Sabha elections & Bidhan Sabha by-election, participating in 30 public rallies, 18 road shows, and 7 padyatras.