‘I thank…’: Eknath Shinde as NDA set for landslide in Maharashtra

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, giving his first remarks on Mahayuti leading by a massive margin in the vote counting for the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly polls, thanked the public for NDA’s “landslide victory”.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, the Shiv Sena leader said exuded confidence on his earlier words where he had said that the “Mahayuti will get a thumping majority”.
That’s why, Shinde said, “I thank Ladli Bahina, farmers, brothers, senior citizens… all sections of the society. People have approved the work done by the Mahayuti in the last 2.5 years.”
Meanwhile, Shinde’s son, Shrikant Shinde, termed this victory of the NDA group as ‘people’s victory’, saying that this is the “Maha Vijay of Mahayuti”.
“From one side, people only heard abuses and criticism while we took forward development agenda under the leadership of CM Eknath Shinde. We talked about development, and brought it on ground,” Shrikant told reporters.
CM Eknath Shinde is contesting from Thane’s Kopri-Pachpakhadi assembly constituency, facing Sena(UBT) leader Kedar Dighe. According to the Election Commission of India, Shinde is leading by a massive margin of 45,979 votes.
In the overall scenario, Mahayuti alliance is leading in 222 seats, having already registered a win in the Wadala constituency. The opposition grouping led by Congress, meanwhile, is ahead in just 55 seats.
In Wadala, BJP candidate Kalidas Nilkanth Kolambar, has won the seat with a margin of 24,973 votes.
Mahayuti alliance comprises of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. While the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) consists of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar). 
Voting for the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly took place in a single phase on Wednesday, November 20. The voter turnout stood at 66.05 per cent, surpassing the 61 per cent of the 2019 Assembly polls.
Notably, majority of the exit poll projections gave an edge to the Mahayuti alliance over the Congress-led MVA. However, some pollsters predicted a neck-and-neck battle between the two groups.