With polling dates announced for November 20, all eyes are on the grand battle in Maharashtra. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Congress, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is anticipating a victory after delivering a shocking defeat to the Mahayuti coalition—consisting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP—in the general elections.

In the Lok Sabha elections, the MVA led in 153 assembly segments, while the Mahayuti was ahead in 126, falling short of the simple majority mark of 145. Meanwhile, buoyed by its recent victory in Haryana, the BJP is confident it can turn the tide through its cash transfer scheme for women and a focus on infrastructure development.

Maharashtra is divided into six regions: Vidarbha, North Maharashtra, Western Maharashtra, Marathwada, Thane-Konkan, and Mumbai. Each region has its own socio-political and economic dynamics. Vidarbha has 62 seats, North Maharashtra has 35, Marathwada 46, Western Maharashtra 70, Thane-Konkan 39, and the Mumbai region 36 seats.

It's Vidarbha with its 62 seats that could be the kingmaker in this election. The contest here is predominantly between the Congress and the BJP. This region is home to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters and forms the eastern part of the state, encompassing the Amravati (formerly Berar) and Nagpur divisions. According to the 2011 census,........

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