Elections LIVE | 58% turnout in Maharashtra, 67% in Jharkhand till 5 pm
In Maharashtra, the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is vying to retain power and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) combine is hoping for a strong comeback
Maharashtra recorded 58.22 per cent polling, while Jharkhand, in the second phase of polls, registered 67.59 per cent voter turnout till 5 pm on Wednesday (November 20) as the voting began in the two states at 7 in the morning.
Maharashtra, the richest state in India, is voting in a single phase for all 288 members of the legislative assembly. Jharkhand is witnessing polling for the remaining 38 seats, as voting for 43 constituencies took place in the first phase on November 13, recording a 64.86 per cent voter turnout.
Along with the legislative Assembly elections in these two states, bypolls for 15 Assembly seats across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala, and Uttarakhand are also being conducted on Wednesday.
Also read: Maharashtra, Jharkhand brace for high-stakes elections: It's a neck and neck contest in both states
Mahayuti vs MVA in Maharashtra
In Maharashtra, the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is vying to retain power and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) combine is hoping for a strong comeback.
The election will determine whether the Mahayuti can reverse the massive losses it suffered during the recent Lok Sabha elections. In the Lok Sabha polls, the MVA won 30 of the 48 seats in the state and the Mahayuti just 17.
It will also be virtually a do-or-die battle for the rival factions of the Shiv Sena and the NCP as these are the first Assembly elections after two regional forces split up. The poll outcome will decided the political future of top leaders like Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde.
These elections will also have an impact on the national politics as a triumph for the Mahayuti will give a big boost to the NDA government at the Centre, while a victory for the MVA will bring back the INDIA bloc in the contention after the drubbing in Haryana Assembly elections.
Also read: Maharashtra polls | Race for CM's post hots up as both MVA, Mahayuti keep people guessing
BJP aiming to wrest Jharkhand
In Jharkhand, the JMM-Congress-RJD coalition is seeking to retain power in Jharkhand, while the BJP-headed NDA will try to wrest it.
This phase will decide the electoral fate of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana Soren (both JMM), and Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri (BJP) besides more than 500 other candidates who are contesting in 38 of the total 81 assembly seats.
Polling began at 7 am in 14,218 polling stations and will continue till 5 pm barring 31 booths where it will end at 4 pm. The first phase of the elections was held on November 13.
Besides CM Soren and his wife, prominent among the candidates in this round include state BJP president and ex-CM Babulal Marandi, Assembly Speaker Ravindra Nath Mahto (JMM) and BJP ally AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto.
(With agency inputs)
Live Updates
- 20 Nov 2024 1:24 PM IST
UP bypolls: Voting picks up after sluggish start, stone pelting reported in Meerapur
An average voter turnout of 20 per cent was recorded in the first four hours of voting in the bypolls to 15 assembly seats spread across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala and Uttarakhand on Wednesday amid an incident of stone pelting in a village in UP’s Meerapur and allegations of police personnel deterring voters from casting their ballot.
Voting for bypolls in nine assembly seats of Uttar Pradesh picked up pace after a sluggish start, with over 20 per cent voters turning up to exercise their franchise by 11 am.
An EC update showed 12.56 per cent turnout in Ghaziabad, Katehari (24.28 per cent), Khair (19.18 per cent), Kundarki (28.54 per cent), Karhal (20.71 per cent), Majhawan (20.41 per cent), Meerapur (26.18 per cent), Phulpur (17.68 per cent), Sisamau (15.91 per cent).
An incident of stone pelting was reported in Kakroli village during voting for the Meerapur assembly bypoll following a confrontation between two groups.
Senior Superintendent of Police Abhishek Singh told reporters that police promptly reached the spot and dispersed the crowd using “mild force”.
“The situation was brought under control, and voting continues peacefully,” Singh added. It was not immediately clear what caused the confrontation.
- 20 Nov 2024 1:22 PM IST
Polls will decide Maharashtra's future, Pawar urges voters to exercise franchise
NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar has appealed to people in Maharashtra to exercise their franchise saying said the assembly elections will decide the state’s future.
Talking to reporters in Baramati town of Pune district after casting his vote, Pawar said all the electors should exercise their right to vote.
“This election is extremely important. It will decide the future of Maharashtra. I appeal to all citizens to come out and vote,” he said.
“It is not good that the voter percentage in Maharashtra is less than smaller states in the North East,” the former Union minister said.
- 20 Nov 2024 12:57 PM IST
Jharkhand polls: Presiding officer replaced after allegations of favouring candidate
Jharkhand BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Wednesday said he had filed a complaint with the Election Commission against a presiding officer for allegedly "favouring a ruling party candidate" in Madhupur assembly constituency during voting.
Dubey claimed that following his complaint, the officer was arrested.
"I filed a complaint with the Election Commission against the presiding officer at booth number 111 in Madhupur, Deoghar district, for favouring Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate and Minister Hafizul Hassan. The commission took my complaint seriously and arrested the officer," Dubey told reporters in Deoghar.
However, the Deoghar administration said the officer was replaced after being found too close to the voting compartment, which is against Election Commission rules.
An official statement from Deoghar administration clarified that the presiding officer at booth number 111 had been replaced.
