The Hindu : Front Page : Maharashtra poll results today

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Saturday, Oct 16, 2004

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Maharashtra poll results today

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, OCT. 15. Speculations on the outcome of the Maharashtra Assembly elections are expected to end at 10 a.m. tomorrow when trends from most of the 288 constituencies that went to the polls on Wednesday emerge.

The Election Commission hopes to get all the results by afternoon, thanks to the electronic voting machines.

Almost all political leaders, who are away in their constituencies, are expected to reach here by evening to start discussions on government formation.

Most exit polls have predicted a hung Assembly and the Congress-NCP-RPI combine seems to have an edge.

The Shiv Sena-BJP combine hopes that the surveys and exit polls will go wrong the way they did during the last Lok Sabha election. Besides, their supporters argue that the final figures of voter turnout was much higher at 63.21 per cent compared to the earlier estimate of about 55 per cent, will go in favour of the alliance.

Wooing independents

Reports reaching here indicate that both the alliances have started wooing powerful independent candidates. The former Maharashtra Congress chief, Prataprao Bhosale, whose son, Madan Bhosale, is a rebel candidate in the Vai constituency of western Maharashtra, has taken the initiative to ensure that the Congress-NCP does not succeed in attracting the elected rebels. The Congress-NCP has taken steps to make them "come home." It is also banking on the support of the CPI(M).

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