Shinde, Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar Or Uddhav- Who Is People's Choice For Maharashtra CM If Polls Held Today?

The Election Commission is yet to announce the poll dates for 288 seats of the Maharashtra assembly but the Opinion poll has revealed voters' choice ahead of the elections.

With just two months left until the Maharashtra Assembly elections, political activities in the state are intensifying. Zee Media conducted a major AI survey to gauge public sentiment. The survey asked the people who they would prefer as the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra, and the results might surprise you. Let's find out who the public wants to see as the next CM of Maharashtra.

Fadnavis Leads As CM Choice

In the survey conducted by AI anchor Zeenia, Devendra Fadnavis emerged as the most preferred choice for the Chief Minister's position, making him the top pick among respondents. Eknath Shinde was the second choice, followed by Uddhav Thackeray in third place.

अभी चुनाव हुए तो महाराष्ट्र में किसकी बनेगी सरकार? जानिए, क्या कहता है AI Poll #MaharashtraElection2024 #AIPoll #Zeenia | @ramm_sharma pic.twitter.com/dRCYdO0h19

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) August 16, 2024

BJP Leads

When asked if any party could secure power on its own in the state, 38% of respondents named the BJP as their choice. Meanwhile, 22% voted for the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena group was favored by 17% of respondents. Only 14% preferred the Congress party, and 9% chose Sharad Pawar's NCP.

Sympathy For Uddhav? 

When asked whether Uddhav Thackeray would gain sympathy from voters after the Shiv Sena split, 35% of respondents believed that he would receive sympathy in this year’s Assembly elections. However, 45% felt that Thackeray would not gain any sympathy, and 20% chose not to express an opinion.

Relief for Mahayuti Alliance

The AI survey conducted by Zeenia is seen as a significant relief for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, which suffered a setback in the Lok Sabha elections. To regain momentum, the Shinde government introduced the Ladki Behen Yojana and Ladka Bhau Yojana. When asked if these schemes would benefit the Mahayuti alliance in the upcoming Assembly elections, 55% of respondents agreed, while 30% said these schemes would not be game-changers.

Corruption To Be A Poll Issue?

Given the opposition's frequent accusations against the BJP for inducting leaders involved in corruption, the survey asked whether it is acceptable to include such leaders in the government. While 20% of respondents saw no issue with including leaders accused of corruption in the government, 70% believed that such individuals should not be allowed to join the party. The remaining 10% refrained from commenting.

Maratha Reservation: A Key Issue

The issue of Maratha reservation continues to be a significant topic in Maharashtra politics, with Manoj Jarange consistently challenging the government on this matter. Jarange is also expected to announce his candidacy for the Assembly elections on August 29. When asked if the Maratha reservation issue would play a decisive role in this year’s elections, 45% of respondents said yes, while another 45% said no, with 10% choosing not to express an opinion.

Caste, Religion

The survey also questioned whether issues related to caste, religion, and the protection of the Constitution would impact the elections. While 35% of respondents believed that the issue of protecting the Constitution would be significant in the Assembly elections, 55% disagreed, and 10% were uncertain.