Voting for Maharashtra, Jharkhand Assembly Poll Today

Voting for Maharashtra, Jharkhand Assembly Poll Today: Voting has begun today for the assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Voting is being held today for the assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. This election will decide the fate of the ruling and opposition political alliances in both the states. Jharkhand is voting in the second and final phase today, while Maharashtra is voting in a single phase.

Voting in both the states began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm. A total of 4,136 candidates are contesting in 288 constituencies in Maharashtra. As part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, the BJP is contesting 149 seats, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena 81 seats and Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) 59 seats.

In the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, the Congress has fielded 101 candidates, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (Uttar Pradesh) 95 and the NCP (Sharad Pawar) 86.

Jharkhand Assembly Poll Today:

In Jharkhand, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress-Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) alliance is trying to retain power while the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is trying to gain control. Over 500 candidates, including Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his wife Kalpana Soren, are contesting 38 of the total 81 assembly seats.

Mahayuti vs Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra:

The election in Maharashtra is a near-direct contest between the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA. In the days leading up to the polls, several top leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi campaigned in the state.

The Mahayuti is banking on its popular schemes for women like Majhi Ladki Behan to help it retain power. But the use of slogans like “Batenge toh Katenge” and “Ek Hai toh Surakshit Hai” by alliance leaders has prompted opposition parties to accuse the Mahayuti of polarising voters.

Meanwhile, the Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has focused on issues such as caste-based census, social justice and protecting the Constitution. This was aimed at attracting voters who felt neglected by the ruling Eknath Shinde government.

Apart from the big players Maha Vikas Aghadi , smaller parties including the BSP and the AIMIM are also contesting the polls. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has fielded 237 candidates and the AIMIM 17.

This time the number of candidates has increased by 28 percent compared to the 2019 assembly elections. This time a total of 4,136 candidates are in the fray, while in 2019 there were 3,239 candidates. Out of 4,136 candidates, 2,086 are independents. Rebels are also contesting in more than 150 constituencies. A total of 1,00,186 polling stations have been set up across the state.

Also Read: Delhi Schools Closed due to Pollution; Haryana Schools Declare Holidays