Maharashtra's ruling Congress party said on Thursday that it was confident of retaining power, with early projections indicating it could touch the half-way mark in the 288-member assembly.

The stage is set for the 13th Oct 2009, assembly elections in Maharashtra where the ruling Congress-led alliance faces a stiff challenge from the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine for the control of one of India’s most industrialized states.

With uncertainty writ large over the fate of the Congress-NCP pre-poll alliance for the ensuing Assembly elections, the NCP is bracing itself to contest all 288 seats in Maharashtra.

Maharashtra is gearing up to celebrate ‘Ganesh Chaturthi’ , the popular festival that celebrated the birth of Lord Ganesh.

Pandharpur is an important pilgrimage city in Solapur district, Maharashtra. This city has a famous temple of Lord Vitthal . Lord Vitthal is considered as incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This temple is also known as Vithoba Temple.