Vote counting is underway for assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, along with bypolls in 13 states. Early trends indicate the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has crossed the halfway mark in Maharashtra and is in a close race with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led coalition in Jharkhand.
Maharashtra Trends
In Maharashtra, the ruling Mahayuti alliance—which includes the BJP, Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction, and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena—is leading in 164 out of 288 seats, surpassing the majority mark of 145. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), a coalition of Congress, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT), and Sharad Pawar’s NCP, trails with 97 seats.
The state saw a voter turnout of 66.05% in its single-phase elections. Key constituencies include:
- Worli: Aaditya Thackeray (Shiv Sena UBT) faces Milind Deora (Shinde faction).
- Nagpur South West: BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis is up against Congress’ Prafful Gudadhe.
- Baramati: Ajit Pawar contests against his nephew Yugendra Pawar.
Exit polls had largely predicted a victory for the Mahayuti alliance, though one forecast suggested a tight contest.
Jharkhand Trends
In Jharkhand, a neck-and-neck battle is unfolding. The ruling INDIA bloc, led by Hemant Soren’s JMM, is ahead in 37 seats, while the NDA leads in 39. The majority mark in the 81-seat assembly is 42.
The elections, held in two phases with a turnout of 67.74%, featured intense campaigning. The BJP accused the JMM-led government of corruption, while Soren’s coalition emphasized welfare schemes and criticized the alleged misuse of federal agencies.
Key battles include:
- Barhait: Hemant Soren faces BJP’s Gamaliyan Hembrom.
- Jamtara: Congress’ Irfan Ansari contests against Sita Soren, Hemant Soren’s sister-in-law.
Bypolls and Other Key Seats
Votes are also being counted for 48 assembly bypolls across 13 states and two parliamentary constituencies:
- Nanded (Maharashtra): The BJP seeks to retain this prestige seat.
- Wayanad (Kerala): Congress focuses on retaining this constituency, previously held by Rahul Gandhi, with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra making her electoral debut.
