The counting of votes for assembly polls in Maharashtra began on Thursday morning with the electoral fate of over 4,400 candidates hanging in the balance. 25, 000 security personnel were deployed on counting duty, according to an election official. Pic/Raj Patil

The Maharashtra unit of BJP has made 'victory' preparations at its headquarters in Mumbai for October 24. They prepared 5000 laddoos and also put up a huge screen to see the live coverage of counting. Garlands were also ordered. Pic/Suresh Karkera

The counting began at 8 am. While the BJP is contesting 150 seats in 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, its ally Shiv Sena had fielded 124 candidates. Pic/Mandar Tannu

BJP candidate Mihir Kotecha visited the Mulund counting centre on Thursday. Pic/Rajendra Aklekar

The exit polls have predicted a comfortable win for the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance government in the state. Supporters of Yamini Jadhav of Shiv Sena are seen in large number at Byculla. Pic/Ranjeet Jadhav

Shiv Sena's Aaditya Thackeray established a comfortable lead in Worli. He was pitted against Suresh Mane of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Gautam Anna Gaikwad of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) and Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) Vishram Tida Padam. Pic/Manjeet Thakur

According to the Election Commission of India, Bharatiya Janata Party is leading in 103 constituencies while the Shiv Sena is leading in 60 constituencies. Pic/Atul Kamble

Congress candidate Zeeshan Siddique visits the counting booth at Samaj Mandir Community Hall, Bandra East. Pic/Atul Kamble

The ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance on Thursday looked on course to retaining power in Maharashtra as per trends available in 283 of the 288 Assembly seats. Pic/Bipin Kokate

Among the turncoats, former NCP minister and now BJP candidate from Airoli in Navi Mumbai, Ganesh Naik is leading with 8,085 votes and Vaibhav Pichad of BJP is trailing behind NCP's Kiran Lahamate by 10,671 votes in Akole segment in Ahmednagar district. Pic/Bipin Kokate

Celebrations in Vasai as the counting of votes is underway. Pic/Manjeet Thakur

Minister of School Education, Sports and Youth Welfare of Maharashtra, Ashish Shelar is leading from Bandra West. Pic/Sameer Abedi

Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena are all set to retain power in the state even though the opposition Congress-NCP alliance put up a good show. The results are set to come in at any time. Pic/Ashish Rane

As of now, the BJP has won 53 seats and is leading on another 50 seats while the Shiv Sena has won 42 seats and is leading on another 14 seats. Pic/Ashish Rane

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray, and Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde were among the prominent winners. Pic/Manjeet Thakur