Live Poll Results: NDA Leads Confidently in Mahad, India Leads in J’khand

Earlier update

Mangaluru, November 23 (IANS): All eyes will be on the much-awaited counting of votes for the Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, which begins at 8 am on Saturday.

The first trends are expected to emerge by 9 a.m., giving the first look at the outcome of these high-stakes battles.

The results of the bypolls conducted in 48 constituencies and two parliamentary seats in 13 states will also be announced on Saturday.

The BJP, buoyed by its performance in the Haryana Assembly elections after its setbacks in the Lok Sabha elections, is hoping for a decisive victory in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

In Maharashtra, the party is collaborating with Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Meanwhile, the Congress and its INDIA bloc allies are seeking to retain Jharkhand and wrest power from the ruling MahaYuti alliance in Maharashtra.

Adding to the drama, results will be declared for 48 Assembly constituencies and two high-profile Parliamentary constituencies: Nanded in Maharashtra and Wayanad in Kerala.

Wayanad is also a battle for Congress’s prestige, with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s election debut in the spotlight after her brother Rahul Gandhi, who earlier represented the constituency in the Lok Sabha, vacated the seat.

The 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly held single-phase elections on November 20 with a voter turnout of 66.05 percent. While urban centers like Mumbai saw low voter turnout at 52.65 percent, tribal-dominated Gadchiroli led with 70 percent.

The ruling MahaYuti alliance comprising the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the BJP and Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction is seeking a second term. On the other hand, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) – a coalition of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar’s NCP – has fought a tough fight to make a comeback.

Key places in the spotlight include Worli, where Shiv Sena (UBT) scion Aaditya Thackeray, the incumbent, faces off against Shinde Sena’s Milind Deora. There is a family clash between Ajit Pawar and his nephew Yugendra Pawar of the NCP (SP) in Baramati. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis could face a tough challenge from Congress candidate Prafful Gudade in his stronghold of southwest Nagpur.

The BJP emerged as the largest party in the 2019 elections, winning 105 seats. Along with its then ally Shiv Sena, it won a majority of 161 seats. However, the Shiv Sena severed ties with the BJP and joined hands with the Congress and the NCP to form a Maha Vikas Aghadi government with Uddhav Thackeray as the chief minister. The tenure of the MVA coalition ended in 2022 following the rebellion of Eknath Shinde, who formed the government with the support of the BJP.

Three exit polls predict the MahaYuti alliance is likely to return to power for a second term with about 158 ​​seats, well above the majority mark of 145 seats.

Jharkhand’s two-phase elections held on November 13 and 20 saw a record 67.74 percent turnout, the highest since the state’s creation in 2000.

INDIA’s ruling bloc, led by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), is seeking to retain power for a second term. However, the BJP-led NDA intends to seize control using allegations of anti-incumbency and corruption.

Jharkhand witnessed a vigorous election campaign with the BJP accusing the JMM-led government of corruption and appeasement politics, while Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s coalition responded with welfare promises and criticism of alleged misuse of central agencies.

Key constituencies to watch include Barhait, where Chief Minister Hemant Soren faces the BJP’s Gamaliyan Hembrom, and Gunday, where his wife Kalpana Soren faces the BJP’s Munia Devi. In Seraikella, Champai Soren, a former JMM leader, faces off against Ganesh Mahali, a BJP defector now in the JMM. Meanwhile, Jamtara will witness a high-profile contest between Congress leader Irfan Ansari and Sita Soren, daughter-in-law of Hemant Soren.

Assembly bypolls in nine states including Uttar Pradesh (9 seats), Rajasthan (7), West Bengal (6), Kerala (2), Madhya Pradesh (2) and Sikkim (2) are equally significant. These contests will not only test regional parties, but will also give an idea of ​​the mood of voters.