Mumbai: The counting of votes for the Maharashtra assembly elections began Saturday at 8 am, with all eyes on the outcome of the battle between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which is seeking to make a comeback. The first round of the EVM counting has concluded at some seats and early trends for the 2024 assembly elections results are out.

As per TV9 Marathi, as of 11.40 am, out of 288 seats in the state, Mahayuti is leading in 215 seats, MVA in 53 seats and other small parties leading in 20 seats. Know who is leading in the VIP seats of Maharashtra as of 11.40 am.

In the high-profile seat in Mumbai's Worli, Shiv Sena UBT leader, sitting MLA Aaditya Thackeray who was leading in the initial counting rounds, is now trailing with a thin margin of around 500 votes. His main opponent is Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora. While, in neighboring Mahim seat, Shiv Sene UBT's Mahesh Sawant is leading with over 5000 votes against the sitting Shiv Sena MLA Shiv Sena's Sada Sarvankar and MNS' Amit Thackeray.

In other VIP seats in Mumbai, including the suburbs BJP is leading in constituencies like Colaba (Rahul Narwekar), Malabar Hill (M P Lodha), Gharkopar (Parag Shah), Borivali (Sanjay Upadhyay) and others. While, Sena UBT's Varun Sardesai is leading in Bandra East against Zeeshan Siddique with a large margin.

Another key battle was seen in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat, where NCP's Nawab Malik contested going against Mahayuti's decision to field Shiv Sena's Suresh Patil as the alliance's official candidate against sitting MLA SP's Abu Azmi. Malik is now in fourth spot, with Azmi leading with 5,700 votes, followed by the AIMIM candidate.

As per ECI website as of 11.40 am, CM Eknath Shinde who contesting from Kopri, Thane is leading with more than 19,000 votes. Sena UBT had fielded Kedar Dighe against Shinde. Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis who is contesting from Nagpur is leading by more than 14,000 votes. While, in a tight fight, Congress' Nana Patole who contested from Sakoli in Vidharbha is leading with a very thin margin of 300 votes against BJP's Avinash Brahmankar.

In Marathwada's Parli constituency, NCP-Ajit Pawar faction's Dhananjay Munde is leading with over 30,000 votes against the NCP-Sharad Pawar faction candidate. In Yeola, Chhagan Bhujbal is leading. While, in Latur City Amit Deshmukh is traling by 500 votes and his brother Dheeraj Deshmukh is leading in Latur Rural by over 11,000 votes.

In the hot seat of Baramati, Dy CM Ajit Pawar is leading with a large margin of 17,000 votes against his nephew, NCP-SP candidate Yugendra Pawar. While, in a shocking update, veteran Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat who is contested for the ninth term is trailing with a huge margin of 5,000 as of 11.40 am.

Early trends for more VIP seats will be added. Stay tuned.