Maharashtra elections: PM Modi to address Dhule, Nashik meetings today; BJP ramps up campaign with 9 rallies in 1 week

Maharashtra Elections 2024: As Maharashtra gears up for its crucial state assembly elections on November 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take to the campaign trail, addressing key public meetings in Dhule and Nashik on Friday.

The rallies are expected to galvanise support for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies ahead of the vote counting on November 23.

Maharashtra Elections: Modi to Address Public Meetings in Dhule, Nashik

In a message posted on social media, Prime Minister Modi expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming rallies. "My family members in Maharashtra have resolved to ensure an unprecedented victory for the NDA candidates in the assembly elections," he wrote. “In this atmosphere of enthusiasm, I will seek the blessings of the people by attending public meetings in Dhule at around 12 noon tomorrow and then in Nashik at 2 pm.”

Modi’s rallies are part of a broader strategy to strengthen the BJP's position in Maharashtra, a key battleground state where the party faces strong competition from opposition parties, including the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

The BJP is seeking to maintain its alliance with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s faction of the NCP, collectively known as the Mahayuti alliance.

Maharashtra Elections: BJP's Strategy Meeting in Delhi

The campaign for the Maharashtra elections is also being shaped by discussions at the BJP's headquarters in New Delhi. Senior leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda, held a two-phase meeting on Tuesday to finalise election strategies for both the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections, as well as the by-polls in several states.

Reports indicate that the BJP is keen to fine-tune its election messaging and strengthen ties with its allies to ensure a united front.

Maharashtra Elections: BJP vs MVA Coalition

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP, is determined to reclaim power in Maharashtra. The MVA is challenging the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena (led by Eknath Shinde), and the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP.

The 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections saw the BJP winning 105 seats, while Shiv Sena secured 56 and Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP had performed even better, securing 122 seats, with Shiv Sena winning 63 and Congress 42. This historical context highlights the stakes for both the BJP and the MVA in the upcoming elections.

Maharashtra Elections: Key Dates

The Maharashtra assembly elections, to decide the fate of all 288 constituencies in the state, are scheduled for November 20, with vote counting set for November 23.