#Maharashtra2019: BJP-Shiv Sena Cross Half Way Mark With Lead In 179 Seats, UPA Far Behind At 88

Maharashtra's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena's dream run continued with their candidates leading in over 179 constituencies while the opposition Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) nominees were ahead in around 88 seats, according to The Indian Express.

The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance seems to be heading for a comfortable win in Maharashtra as it has gone way past half way mark in the early trends.

Among the prominent leaders were Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur South-West, the BJP's Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil in Shirdi, Nitesh Rane in Kankavali, Mohini Eknath Khadse in Muktainagar, Ashish Shelar in Bandra, Pankaja Munde in Parli.

Ally Shiv Sena's Aditya Thackeray in Worli, Sanjay Raymulkar in Buldana, Yamini Jadhav in Byculla, besides party candidates in at least 30 other seats, were also leading.

From the opposition side, the NCP's Ajit Pawar was leading in Baramati, Suman R. Patil in Tasgaon-Kavthe Mahankal, Hasan Mushrif in Kaga and Jitendra Awhad in Mumbra.

The Congress' Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar was ahead in Brahmapuri, state President Balasaheb Thorat in Sangamner, Dheeraj Vilasrao Deshmukh in Latur Rural and Nitin Raut in Nagpur North.

The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) nominee Pramod alias Raju R. Patil was leading in Kalyan Rural.

Besides the ruling BJP-Sena and opposition Congress-NCP, the other important parties in the fray include the MNS, Prakash Ambedkar's Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, the Owaisis' All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party.

(With inputs from IANS)