The early leads in Maharashtra seem to indicate the confidence shown by the BJP and the Shiv Sena of a second term during their election campaign, says writer and columnist Sudheendra Kulkarni. The Congress's campaign, on the other hand, was lacklustre in the BJP's high-voltage show. "The star campaigner, the hero of this campaign was Sharad Pawar," Mr Kulkarni said. In Maharashtra, the BJP and its ally Shiv Sena raced towards a predictable victory. Mr Kulkarni also attributed the BJP's gains to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's personal image.
