Ahead of the counting day, Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) Pune unit president Deepak Mankar reacted to the exit poll predictions for the state and exuded confidence in the BJP-led Mahayuti's victory saying, that the alliance will secure 180 seats and sweep all the eight seats in Pune district.

Speaking to news agency ANI about the exit polls, Mankar said, "The whole atmosphere stands in support of the Mahayuti in Maharashtra. We work on the ground level and that is why we know that the public supports the work that we do. It will be disclosed in these elections. I think Mahayuti will get 180 seats here. Our candidates have done good work in their constituencies. In Pune also, Mahayuti will win all the 8 seats."

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Most exit polls projected that the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is likely to form the government, while some predict a close contest.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole remained confident of Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) victory in Assembly elections despite poll predictions favouring the Mahayuti alliance to form a government.

Speaking with ANI, Patole highlighted inflation and unemployment as the major issues that affect the elections.

"It is clear that MVA will come to power and we will form the government on November 25. We will make sure what happened in Haryana does not happen in Maharashtra. The youth, women and the unemployed have voted in large numbers. BJP will suffer due to issues of inflation and unemployment," Patole said.

Responding to the BJP's allegation of 'Vote Jihad', Patole accused the party of distributing money and liquor in Maharashtra. He asked, "Was it not jihad." The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance comprises the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), while the opposition MVA includes the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar.

'BJP will wrest Kasba Peth'

Mankar has expressed confidence that the Mahayuti alliance would reclaim the Kasba Peth Assembly seat from Congress's sitting MLA Ravindra Dhangekar. Mankar attributed this confidence to the alliance's hard work and the additional strength brought by the NCP's partnership with the BJP.

Mankar said "Every party worker from the alliance had worked hard to reclaim it from Congress. During the bypoll, Dhangekar won the seat by fluke...and since NCP (united) was not in alliance during the bypoll, it helped Congress but now NCP is with BJP, therefore, the additional strength will make sure BJP's candidate Hemant Rasane will win the seat this time."

Further, Mankar said that Dhangekar had done nothing for the people except publicity stunts. "After winning bypoll, he has done nothing for people in the constituency except some stunts for publicity during his tenure. Therefore, we are confident that Rasane will win the seats 100 per cent," Mankar said.

Meanwhile, Senior Congress leader Mohan Joshi said," The people of Maharashtra are fed up with BJP and its alliance partners due to the issues of unemployment, inflation and their fake promises. Therefore whatever claim they are making has no sense and MVA will win in Maharashtra, including Kasba Peth seat. Our candidate and sitting MLA will repeat by poll results."