Counting of votes begins in Maharashtra

Mumbai: Counting of votes polled in the Maharashtra assembly elections Oct 15 started Sunday across the state's 36 districts.

A total of 4,119 candidates are in fray for the 288-member assembly.

The contest is between five major parties - the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

Election officials are hopeful the first proper trends will be available by 10 a.m.