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 4:24 PM IST
Jharkhand polls: Over 61% turnout till 3 pm
Over 61 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 3 pm on Wednesday in 38 assembly constituencies in Jharkhand where voting is underway in the second and final phase, officials said.
“A voter turnout of 61.47 per cent was recorded till 3 PM. Voting has been peaceful,” an Election Commission official said.
The highest voting turnout of 69.31 per cent was reported from Pakur, followed by 68.24 per cent from Jamtara, 66.02 per cent from Ramgarh and 65.84 per cent from Ranchi district.
Dumka recorded a turnout of 64.79 per cent, Deoghar 64.55 per cent, Godda 62.91 per cent, Sahebganj 60.08 per cent, Hazaribag 58.16 per cent and Bokaro 56.38 per cent.
The lowest turnout was recorded in Dhanbad at 56.32 per cent till 3 PM.
- 20 Nov 2024 4:22 PM IST
Maharashtra polls: 45.53% turnout till 3 pm
Maharashtra recorded a voter turnout of 45.53 per cent till 3 pm in the elections to the 288-member state legislative assembly, election officials said.
In the bypoll to the Nanded Lok Sabha constituency held simultaneously, the voter turnout till 3 pm was 41.58 per cent, they said.
Gadchiroli tops the list of districts with 62.99 per cent turnout. Aheri assembly seat in the district saw 66.27per cent voting, while Gadchiroli constituency recorded 62.43 per cent voting. Armori saw 60.50 per cent polling.
Mumbai city district and Mumbai suburban district recorded 40.89 per cent and 39.34 per cent voting respectively.
The Colaba assembly segment in the megapolis registered 33.44 per cent polling, Mahim 45.56 per cent and Worli 39.11 per cent. Shivadi recorded 41.76 percent and Malabar Hill 42.55 per cent.
In Mumbai suburban, Bhandup polled 48.82 per cent votes, Dahisar 41.91 percent and Bandra East 39.49 per cent, they said.
In Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Kopri-Pachpakhadi constituency in Thane, the voter turnout was 44.60 per cent, while the overall percentage of Thane district was 38.94 per cent.
The Nagpur South-West constituency, from where Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is in the fray, the voter turnout was 41.76 per cent till 3 pm, the officials said. Nagpur district recorded 44.45 per cent turnout.
In Baramati constituency in Pune district, from where Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar is fighting against his nephew Yugendra Pawar, the poll percentage was 43.57 per cent, they officials said, adding that Pune district recorded 41.70 per cent voter turnout.
Nashik district recorded 46.18 per cent turnout till 3 pm.
Bypoll to the Nanded Lok Sabha seat was necessitated following the demise of Congress MP Vasantrao Chavan soon after the elections earlier this year.
- 20 Nov 2024 3:50 PM IST
Maharashtra polls: RBI chief, industry leaders cast votes
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das and leading captains of industry cast their vote in the financial capital for the Maharashtra Assembly elections on Wednesday.
Das went to exercise his franchise with his wife at a booth near his official residence in south Mumbai, and complimented the election officials for the arrangements they have made.
Former chairman of HDFC, Deepak Parekh, also voted at a booth in a south Mumbai neighbourhood and appealed to everybody to vote pointing to his swift experience at the booth.
Keki Mistry, Parekh’s long-time colleague who retired as the vice-chairman and chief executive of HDFC, also exercised his franchise at another booth nearby.
Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran also cast his vote in south Mumbai and called voting a privilege that everybody should exercise.
Industrialist Ajay Piramal also voted along with his wife Swati near his residence in the financial capital. After stepping out, Piramal also urged all the voters to come out and exercise their franchise.
Swati Piramal, an author, said the new government needs to focus on children, women's issues and health.
Textile and realty major Raymond's Gautam Singhania and construction-focused HCC's Ajit Gulabchand were also among the other notable captains of the industry who had voted till about 3 pm.
