Today, nearly 9.7 crore voters in Maharashtra will exercise their franchise to elect 288 legislators from among 4,136 candidates. This election is more than a routine democratic exercise — it is a decisive moment for the state, with far-reaching implications for its political future. The campaigns have been intense, reflecting the do-or-die stakes for major parties like the BJP, the Shiv Sena, the Congress, and the NCP. Amid this, Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena lingers as a wildcard — will it merely spoil the game for others or emerge as a genuine contender? The battle lines are drawn primarily between the........

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