The Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are leading in 16 and 13 seats respectively of the 36 in Mumbai. The BJP contested 17 seats and the Shiv Sena 19 in the city. Mumbai with its 36 assembly seats is crucial in the battle for 288 seats of state assembly. In 2014, the saffron combine swept the polls in the city.
Sena scion Aaditya Thackeray, the first Thackeray to contest any poll, is leading from Worli. He is ahead of his NCP opponent Suresh Mane by at least 10,000 votes after the counting of first few rounds.
In 2014 , the BJP won 15, and the Shiv Sena 14 seats in the city.
The Congress, which had five sitting MLAs from the city, is leading in four constituencies, while NCP’s Mumbai president Nawab Malik is leading from Anushakti Nagar. The saffron allies are expected to retain most seats in the city.
BJP candidates Atul Bhatkalkar from Kandivali east, and Parag Shah from Ghatkopar east are leading after the first rounds of counting. Manisha Chaudhuri, sitting legislator of the BJP from Dahisar is also leading.
Interestingly, Sena rebel Rajul Patel is leading in Versova. Patel contested as an independent after the seat went to BJP in the seat-sharing.
BJP’s heavyweight candidate and minister Ashish Shelar is leading in Bandra west against Congress’ Asif Zakaria. The voter turnout in the constituency was low with around 43% voting.
Raj Thackeray led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena is leading on two seats in Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The MNS contested 35 seats in Mumbai. It didn’t contest in Worli.
The polls for strong 288-seats Maharashtra Assembly were held on October 21.
