NDA Has Edge In Maharashtra But 2 Of 4 Exit Polls Predict Hung Assembly

The ruling Mahayuti will win the 2024 Maharashtra election, two of three exit polls said Wednesday evening, shortly after the close of single-phase voting in the state.

The BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance will emerge the winner with 150-195 seats in the 288-member Assembly, the Matrize and Peoples Pulse exit polls declared. A third poll - P-Marq - predicted a closer fight but still gave the Mahayuti a narrow win, with a score of 147.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance - the Congress and the Sena and NCP factions led by ex-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar - are predicted to stumble with Matrize and Peoples Pulse giving it a maximum of 130 seats.

The exception is P-Marq, which expects the MVA to get between 126 and 146 seats.

The majority mark in the Maharashtra Assembly is 145.

Health warning: exit polls often get it wrong.