The counting of votes will be taken up Oct 22. The term of the Maharashtra assembly expires Nov. 3, by which time a new government will assume office.

All the major political parties are furiously working out last-minute seat adjustments to ensure they don't miss the Sept 25 deadline to file nominations.

While the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party combine has more or less finalised its seat-sharing barring a few odd seats, the ruling Congress-NCP combine is on the verge of an agreements.

Though the Congess-NCP have held three days of marathon talks in Mumbai, there has been no final outcome so far. The stage is expected to shift to New Delhi Friday.

Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Thursday announced it will contest all 288 seats in the state, while the newly-floated Third Front of the Republican parties and the left parties has so far decided to contest 200 seats.

Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sen (MNS) has announced it will contest 125 seats in the state.