Election
State story

Maharashtra: 9 straight for the INC, 1962–1999

14 Assembly elections · 19622024 · every seat count and share is read from the official record.

Who held the house

bar width = years in charge · tap one for that election
1962INC
2004NCP
2009INC
2014BJP

Indian National Congress has led 10 of 14 elections; power changed hands 3 times.

Seats over time

the leading parties
INCpeak 222 · 1972
22219622024
BJPpeak 132 · 2024
13219622024
SHSpeak 73 · 1995
7319622024
NCPpeak 71 · 2004
7119622024

Maharashtra has voted in 14 Assembly elections between 1962 and 2024. Indian National Congress has been the largest party in 10 of them — a long grip on the state.

Power has changed hands 3 times. The steadiest run was Indian National Congress's — the top party from 1962 to 1999 across 9 elections.

In 2004, Nationalist Congress Party broke through — 71 of 288 seats — ending Indian National Congress's hold, which fell from 75 to 69.

In 2009, Indian National Congress broke through — 82 of 288 seats — ending Nationalist Congress Party's hold, which fell from 71 to 62.

In 2014, Bharatiya Janata Party broke through — 122 of 288 seats — ending Indian National Congress's hold, which fell from 82 to 42.

The sharpest single swing was 2014: Bharatiya Janata Party went from 46 to 122 seats, a gain of 76.

Indian National Congress's steepest fall came in 1978, from 222 seats to 131.

The closest verdict was 2004: Nationalist Congress Party finished just 2 seats ahead of Indian National Congress.

Most recently, in 2024, Bharatiya Janata Party holds 132 of 288 seats on 26.8% of the vote — short of the 145-seat majority.

Pivotal elections

who held the house, seat by seat
First on record · 1962open →
214INC
  • INC21481%
  • IND156%
  • PWP156%
  • PSP104%
  • Others104%

Indian National Congress · 51.2% of the vote · majority

The wave · 2014open →
122BJP
  • BJP12242%
  • SHS6322%
  • INC4215%
  • NCP4114%
  • Others207%

Bharatiya Janata Party · 27.8% of the vote · short of majority

Most recent · 2024open →
132BJP
  • BJP13246%
  • SHS5720%
  • NCP4114%
  • SHSUBT207%
  • Others3813%

Bharatiya Janata Party · 26.8% of the vote · short of majority

The turn of 2014

2014 seats minus 2009
seats lostseats gained
BJP
46 → 122
+76
SHS
44 → 63
+19
INC
82 → 42
−40
NCP
62 → 41
−21
IND
24 → 7
−17
PWPI
4 → 3
−1
BVA
2 → 3
+1
AIMIM
0 → 2
+2

Every time power changed hands

  1. 2004NCP took the house with 71 of 288, ending INC’s run (7569).
  2. 2009INC took the house with 82 of 288, ending NCP’s run (7162).
  3. 2014BJP took the house with 122 of 288, ending INC’s run (8242).

Party identity

renames, splits and mergers along the way
  • Indian National Congress saw All India Trinamool Congress break away in 1998; saw Nationalist Congress Party break away in 1999; saw YSR Congress Party break away in 2011; saw NCO break away in 1969; saw INCU break away in 1979; saw ICS break away in 1978; saw BAC break away in 1966; saw UTC break away in 1969; saw HVP break away in 1996; saw AINRC break away in 2011; took in MSCP in 2014; took in ICS in 1986; took in NNO in 1976; took in HVP in 2004; took in VHP in 1978.
  • Bharatiya Janata Party broke away from Janata Party in 1980.
  • Shiv Sena saw Shiv Sena (UBT) break away in 2022 (2022 split; ECI retained 'Shiv Sena' name + symbol for the Shinde faction).
  • Nationalist Congress Party broke away from Indian National Congress in 1999; saw Nationalist Congress Party- Sharadchandra Pawar break away in 2023 (2023 split; ECI recognised this faction as NCP).