D-day: All eyes on Maha & Jharkhand
Mumbai/Ranchi: As counting begins Saturday for the politically crucial Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, the stakes are high for both the ruling alliances and the Opposition coalitions. Alongside, results for bypolls to 46 Assembly seats across 13 states and two Lok Sabha constituencies are also set to be announced.
In Maharashtra, the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is locked in a fierce contest with the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes factions of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). While most exit polls suggest an edge for the Mahayuti, the MVA is banking on a voter swing to regain its lost foothold.
The voter turnout in the single-phase polls on November 20 was 66.05 per cent, an increase from the 61.1 per cent recorded in 2019. Notably, rural districts such as Kolhapur and Gadchiroli reported high polling percentages of 76.63 per cent and 75.26 per cent, respectively, while urban areas like Mumbai lagged, with the island city recording only 52.07 per cent.
Over 288 counting centres have been set up across the state, including one for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, where 67.81 per cent voter turnout was recorded. Counting is being closely monitored, with one observer assigned to each of the state’s 288 constituencies.
The BJP contested 149 seats as part of the Mahayuti alliance, while the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP fielded candidates in 81 and 59 seats, respectively. On the other side, the Congress led the MVA charge with 101 candidates, joined by the Shiv Sena (UBT) with 95 and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) with 86.
A decisive majority of 145 seats in the 288-member Assembly is required to form the government. The outcome will also determine the longevity of the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, which was forged after the MVA’s dramatic collapse due to an internal rebellion led by current Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
In Jharkhand, the contest is primarily between the ruling JMM-led alliance, part of the INDIA bloc, and the BJP-led NDA. The elections were conducted in two phases on November 13 and 20, with a record voter turnout of 67.74 per cent, the highest since the state’s formation in 2000.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren is contesting from Barhait, while his wife Kalpana Soren has entered the fray from Gandey. The BJP has fielded its veteran leader Babulal Marandi in Dhanwar and Amar Kumar Bauri from Chandankiyari.
The counting process is underway across 81 constituencies, with observers and assistant returning officers ensuring transparency. The results will determine whether Hemant Soren’s coalition, under pressure from corruption allegations and infiltration charges by the BJP, can retain power.
Top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, campaigned intensively, attacking the ruling JMM for alleged corruption. INDIA bloc leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge countered with promises of welfare schemes, accusing the BJP of using central agencies to target political rivals.
Simultaneously, bypolls in 46 Assembly constituencies and two Lok Sabha seats—Nanded (Maharashtra) and Wayanad (Kerala) — are being closely watched.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her electoral debut from Wayanad, taking over the seat vacated by Rahul Gandhi after his disqualification.
Key Assembly bypolls include nine seats in Uttar Pradesh, where the Samajwadi Party is challenging the BJP’s dominance. Rajasthan, Punjab, Karnataka, and West Bengal are also witnessing critical contests that could signal voter sentiment ahead of the national elections.
The results from Maharashtra and Jharkhand are expected to have far-reaching consequences. A strong showing by the BJP in both states would solidify its position ahead of the general elections, while a comeback by the Opposition alliances could reinvigorate the INDIA bloc’s prospects.
Similarly, bypoll outcomes, particularly in high-profile constituencies like Wayanad and Phulpur, will serve as a barometer for the political mood across the country.
