Elections 2024: Maharashtra, Jharkhand Brace For Results Today In Mahayuti Vs MVA, INDIA Vs NDA Battles
Election Results 2024: The BJP-led Mahayuti coalition faces off against the MVA alliance in Maharashtra, while the NDA battles the JMM-led INDIA bloc in Jharkhand with election results set to be unveiled on Nov 23.
Election Results 2024: The counting of votes for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections as well will commence at 8 am on Saturday, with the battle lines drawn between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra and a high-octane NDA vs INDIA battle in the tribal state.
The assembly polls, conducted on November 20, saw a voter turnout of 66.05 per cent, an increase from 61.1 per cent in 2019, according to election officials.
Kolhapur district recorded the highest turnout at 76.63 per cent, followed by Gadchiroli with 75.26 per cent. The lowest turnout was in Mumbai's island city at 52.07 per cent, with the suburban district at 55.95 per cent. The Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll recorded 67.81 per cent voting on the same day.
A total of 288 counting centres have been set up across the state, with one dedicated to the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll. Each assembly constituency will be monitored by a counting observer, while two observers will oversee the Nanded bypoll. Election officials have also arranged 1,732 tables for postal ballot counting and 592 tables for the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) to ensure a smooth process.
Maharashtra Election Results 2024: Mahayuti Vs MVA
In the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP contested 149 seats, the Shiv Sena 81, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP 59. Meanwhile, the MVA alliance featured the Congress contesting 101 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) 86. Other parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party (237 candidates) and AIMIM (17 candidates) also fielded contestants.
This election saw a 28 per cent rise in candidates, with 4,136 individuals contesting compared to 3,239 in 2019. Among them, 2,086 ran as independents, with rebel candidates from both Mahayuti and MVA challenging their alliances in over 150 constituencies.
Key clashes include Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis against Congress’s Praful Gudadhe in Nagpur, CM Eknath Shinde vs. Kedar Dighe (Sena UBT) in Kopri-Pachpakhadi, and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar facing his nephew Yugendra Pawar in Baramati. Other key contests include Aaditya Thackeray (Sena UBT) vs. Milind Deora (Shinde Sena) in Worli, and Nilesh Rane (BJP) vs. Vaibhav Naik (Shinde Sena) in Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg. In the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat, NCP’s Nawab Malik faces competition from SP state chief and sitting MLA Abu Asim Azmi and Shiv Sena’s Shivaji Patil.
A poster in Pune portraying NCP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar as the next Chief Minister was removed on Friday after drawing attention, news agency PTI reported. The majority mark in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly is 145. Most exit polls predict a victory for the Mahayuti alliance, although some suggest the possibility of a hung assembly or MVA win.
Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat expressed confidence in the MVA's chances, stating, “We (MVA) won’t have any difficulty in definitely and easily forming the next government in the state.” Thorat, who met Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and NCP(SP) leader Sharad Pawar, emphasised the coalition's strength: “Our numbers will be so good that we won’t even have to look for the numbers from outside the MVA coalition.”
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday expressed confidence about the victory of his party and its alliance partners in Maharashtra and Jharkhand when asked about his poll results expectations. According to PTI, he said, "Congress has performed better in these polls. We have expectations (of winning), we have worked, let's see what happens tomorrow, we will get to know tomorrow. Whatever I say now, it will be a speculation." "We have performed better. I have personally participated in a number of meetings in every region, whether here (Maharashtra) or in Jharkhand. We have hopes that we will come (to power). We are confident about it. Let's see," he remarked.
Security Measures For Maharashtra Vote Counting
Mumbai police have imposed restrictions within a 300-metre radius of all 36 counting centres in the city to prevent assemblies. The prohibitory order will remain effective from 6 am on November 21 until midnight on November 24.
Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer, S. Chockalingam told news agency ANI, "36 districts, 288 constituencies, nearly 4500 counting teams are ready for counting. Before the counting starts at 8 am, the strong rooms will be opened in front of the candidates or their agents who are present, along with the Observer. It will be brought to the counting halls. At sharp 8 am, the counting of ballots will start. At 8.30 am, the EVM counting will start."
"This time, we are expecting more than 3-4 lakh postal ballot papers coming for counting...Increased postal ballots ensure better voting, at the same time, increases the counting time. So, we increased the number of tables for counting..." he added.
On security arrangements, he informed, "All counting centres are well-secured with 3-tier security...No one with any arms will be allowed inside the counting centre but the entire thing will be transparent. Every table will have agents representing the candidates, they can see with their own eyes whether whatever is going on is in the correct manner or not...Everything will be coveted by CCTV also and our ROs as well as Assistant Returning Officers are well-trained...We are ready for counting..."
#WATCH | Mumbai: On preparations for tomorrow's counting of votes for #MaharashtraElection2024, State's Chief Electoral Officer, S. Chockalingam says, "36 districts, 288 constituencies, nearly 4500 counting teams are ready for counting. Before the counting starts at 8 am, the… pic.twitter.com/Q2Xhk88xV7
— ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2024
Jharkhand Assembly Poll Results: BJP-Led NDA and JMM-Led INDIA Bloc Brace for Counting Day Outcome
The stage is set for a decisive day in Jharkhand as political parties await the results of the Assembly elections on Saturday. The contest will determine whether the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) or the JMM-led INDIA bloc will form the next government.
The counting process, starting at 8 am on November 23, will begin with postal ballots. Initial trends are expected to emerge by 9 am. This election saw a record voter turnout of 67.74 per cent, the highest since Jharkhand's formation in 2000.
The elections were conducted in two phases on November 13 and 20, with 43 and 38 constituencies voting in each phase, respectively. The battle has been fierce, with the BJP-led NDA attempting to wrest power from the ruling JMM-led coalition.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren contested from Barhait, while his wife, Kalpana Soren, stood from Gandey. BJP Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri contested from Chandankiyari. Other prominent candidates include Babulal Marandi (BJP) from Dhanwar, Rabindra Nath Mahato (JMM) from Nala, Deepika Pandey Singh (Congress) from Mahagama, Sita Soren (JMM) from Jamtara, and AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto from Silli.
The NDA criticised the JMM-led coalition over corruption and alleged infiltration. Hemant Soren, who spent five months in jail on money laundering charges linked to a land scam, was a primary target. BJP leaders framed the removal of Champai Soren as chief minister earlier this year as a tribal insult by the JMM.
Slogans such as “Ek hain toh safe hain” (if we remain united, we will be safe) dominated the BJP’s campaign, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi mocking the phrase as representing the unity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and business tycoons like Ambani.
INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Kalpana Soren, focused on welfare schemes while accusing the BJP-led Centre of misusing central agencies like the ED and CBI.
This election includes 28 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and nine for Scheduled Castes (SCs). In the 2019 elections, JMM secured 19 ST seats, Congress 6, BJP 2, and JVM(P) 1. Among SC seats, BJP won 6, JMM 2, and RJD 1.
Security Measures For Jharkhand Vote Counting
Elaborate preparations have been made for the counting day, with dedicated counting centres across the state. Observers have been assigned to each Assembly constituency, and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) will oversee the process at each table. According to PTI, a senior Election Commission official assured, “The entire process will take place in a transparent manner under the full glare of the media and candidates or their agents, who are encouraged to keep a close watch on the process.”
Strong rooms housing the EVMs have been fortified with tight security and video surveillance.
Three-tier security arrangements were made at the strong room in Ranchi, ANI reported.
#WATCH | #JharkahndAssemblyElections | Three-tier security arrangements made at the strong room, in Ranchi ahead of vote counting pic.twitter.com/o0KJpUirxH
— ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2024
This time, the NDA fielded candidates in 68 seats, with allies AJSU Party contesting 10, JD(U) 2, and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) 1. The INDIA bloc has JMM contesting 43 seats, Congress 30, RJD 6, and CPI(ML) 4, with some friendly contests.
In the 2019 Assembly elections, the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance secured 47 seats, forming a comfortable majority, while BJP’s tally fell to 25 from 37 in 2014.
Ahead of the results, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge appointed Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel, and G Parameshwara as observers for Maharashtra. Similarly, Tariq Anwar, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, and Krishna Allavuru were tasked with overseeing Jharkhand, where counting will also take place on November 23 for its two-phase polls held on November 13 and 20.
The results of these elections will determine the political landscape in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, with a significant impact on the political alliances.
Trending News
Top Headlines
