Voters in Jharkhand and Maharashtra have decided the fate of 5,347 candidates in the fray across both states in the second round of assembly polls after the 2024 general election.
In Maharashtra, Mahayuti comprising the Eknath Shinde-Shiv Sena, BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP has stunned the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and its constituents, the Shiv Sena (UBT) of Uddhav Thackeray, NCP (SP) of Sharad Pawar and the Congress. The Mahayuti is set to form the government again with the BJP emerging as the single-largest party. Maharashtra has 288 assembly seats, making 145 the majority mark.
In Jharkhand, constituents of the ruling INDIA bloc—JMM, Congress, RJD—have emerged victorious against the BJP and its ally AJSU. Jharkhand has 81 assembly seats, making 42 the majority mark.
Stay tuned to ThePrint’s coverage.
Maharashtra & Jharkhand election result | UPDATES
10:00 pm: Updates to this blog have ended.
9:15 pm: Addressing party workers and supporters at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, PM Modi said, “I was not born to sit idle. The day is not far when India will become the third largest economy of the world. We will move forward together, move forward unitedly and achieve every goal. If we are one, we are safe!”
“The mantra of our life is – we have to serve every citizen of the country by becoming a servant. We have to fulfill the dreams that the freedom fighters had seen for India,” he added.
8:30 pm: “Today, Maharashtra has witnessed the triumph of development, good governance, and genuine social justice. Today, the forces of deception, divisive politics, and family dynasty have been defeated,” said PM Narendra Modi as he thanks Maharashtra CM Shinde, Deputy CM, and ‘dear friend’ Devendra Fadnavis and party workers for their contribution.
“The people of the land of great people like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shahuji Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Savitribai Phule, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Veer Savarkar, Balasaheb Thackeray, have broken all previous records. This is the biggest victory for any party or pre-poll alliance in over 50 years. This is the third time a BJP-led alliance has been chosen by the people of Maharashtra,” he added.
PM Modi also thanked the people of Jharkhand and promised to now work harder for the people of the state. “We will work even harder for the rapid development of Jharkhand, and every single BJP worker will contribute their utmost efforts towards this goal,” he added.
8:15 pm: “Friends, this is a historic day. People of this country, the people of Maharashtra, and the results of the various bypolls in various states, have sent a message. Through this message, people have once again put a stamp on PM Modi’s dedication and promise of being of service to the people of this country,” said BJP National President J.P. Nadda while addressing party workers at BJP headquarters in New Delhi.
“Under PM Modi’s leadership, a new term has come up. Over the last 70 years we used to hear about ‘anti-incumbency’, but now we talk of pro-incumbency,” he added noting BJP’s multiple tenures in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, its recent victory in Maharashtra, and various bypoll wins in Assam, and Uttar Pradesh.
7:45 pm: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed disappointment at BJP’s loss in Jharkhand. “The loss in Jharkhand is deeply painful for me personally, even though we secured victory in all five by-elections in Assam,” he wrote on X(formerly Twitter).
In Assam bypolls, three out of five seats have been clenched by the BJP.
Milind Deora, who joined the Shiv Sena after quitting Congress earlier this year, on his loss to Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Aaditya Thackeray said, “I took on UBT’s strongest team in Worli—1 ex-CM, 1 ex-Cabinet Minister, 1 ex-Union Minister, 1 MP, 1 MLA, 2 MLCs & 3 ex-Mayors. Despite MNS splitting 19,367 of Mahayuti’s votes, we led at one point & cut Thackeray’s margin to 8,801 from 67,427 in 2019.”
7:15 pm: In Uttar Pradesh bypolls, BJP has won six out of the nine seats contested. A ninth seat has been added to their column after allied party RLD won Meerapur seat. The victory has renewed boost to ‘Brand Yogi’. Read ThePrint’s report to know more.
Meanwhile, BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis has officially been declared winner in the Nagpur South West constituency. The BJP-NCP-Shiv Sena alliance is set to form government in Maharashtra.
6:55 pm: “Many congratulations to the people of Punjab and all the hard-working workers for the spectacular victory of AAP in the Punjab by-elections,” Aam Aadmi Party chief and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal wrote on microblogging site X (formerly Twitter) as his party emerged victorious in all four bypoll seats in the state of Punjab.
पंजाब उपचुनाव में मिली AAP को शानदार जीत की पंजाब की जनता और सभी मेहनती कार्यकर्ताओं को बहुत-बहुत बधाई। https://t.co/DPJZz8SRMi
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 23, 2024
6:40 pm: Ajit Pawar has been declared victorious in Baramati, taking the number of seats in the Mahayuti column to 155. The BJP-NCP (Ajit Pawar)-Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) is leading in another 76 seats. On the other side, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has been able to gather wins in 31 seats and lead in another 14 seats.
Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has won 22 seats, and is leading in 12. The Congress has been declared winner in 10 and is in the lead for another six, whereas, the BJP has won 14 seats and has a comfortable lead in seven others.
6.20 pm: Addressing the media, Congress general secretary (communication) Jairam Ramesh said the party will investigate the reasons behind the defeat in Maharashtra.
“Maharashtra outcome was brought through targeted conspiracy to defeat Congress. Our morale is not down. We will strengthen the party,” said Ramesh. “The atmosphere that we had seen across the state, we were certain of widespread resentment against the ruling alliance. However, the results that have come are weird and appear to be part of a conspiracy against us.”
Congress leader Pawan Khera said, “The Lok Sabha election was fought in the name of Modi ji in Maharashtra, which the BJP lost. The same state gave the BJP 132 out of 148 seats within 4-5 months. Is this possible?
“Electoral transparency is our concern. Can the BJP reverse anti-incumbency? We complained continuously. Jairam Ramesh had complained about the name being deleted from the Election Commission’s website from the house of a woman BJP leader. All the leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi had complained. No answer was given…Whether we win or lose, we will continue to question the election process. In a country where exam papers are leaked, can we blindly trust the machines? You cannot shut us up by showing the results of Jharkhand. To date, apart from the poetry, we have not received any concrete answer from the Election Commission…,” he added.
6.10 pm: “The result is unexpected,” said Shiv Sena (UBT leader) Uddhav Thackeray. “How this result came about is a question everyone is concerned about.”
“It is a scary picture where the BJP is aiming for ‘One Nation, One Election, and One Party’. If the people of Maharashtra accept this mandate, I will happily abide by it, but if the people have doubts, if this is not their mandate, I will fight for them. Maharashtra is my family. I don’t trust that they will behave/vote this way. There is definitely some foul play,” he added.
6.00 pm: JMM Executive President and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren has been declared winner from Barhait, where he defeated the BJP’s Gamliyel Hembrom by 39,791 votes.
Speaking to the media, Soren said, “I want to thank…farmers, women and youth of the state for casting their votes with the majority and making this election successful…I also thank all the leaders who were there in the field and took the power of democracy to the people…We are waiting for the complete result, which will be soon announced…After that, we will take a further decision…The INDIA alliance performance has been very good.”
#WATCH | Ranchi: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren says, "Today the results of the #JharkhandAssemblyElection2024 have come…I want to thank the people of all communities and all the farmers, women and youth of the state for casting their votes with the majority and making this election… pic.twitter.com/cstuLggwt4
— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2024
5.30 pm: Declared the winner from Worli, Shiv Sena (UBT) Aaditya Thackeray said, “The overall result in the state is different from the on-ground reality. Uddhav Balasaheb Thackarey will address this issue in a press conference shortly.”
VIDEO | Maharashtra election results 2024: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) speaks to media following Mahayuti's massive victory. #ElectionResults2024WithPTI #MaharashtraElection2024 #MaharashtraElectionResults2024
(Full video available on PTI Videos -… pic.twitter.com/KJ9AuJKXXC
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 23, 2024
5.15 pm: In Mumbai’s Dharavi assembly constituency, the MVA candidate Jyoti Gaikwad, sister of Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad, has won by a significant margin of 23,459 votes.
In the constituency, Dharavi redevelopment was one of the major election talking points. Accusations of land grabbing by the Adani Group—allegedly facilitated by the Mahayuti government—featured in the election manifestos of the parties within the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Read ThePrint’s story.
4.55 pm: In a post on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the JMM, while also thanking the people of Jharkhand for their support towards the NDA. “We will always be at the forefront of raising people’s issues and working for the state,” he wrote.
I thank the people of Jharkhand for their support towards us. We will always be at the forefront of raising people’s issues and working for the state.
I also congratulate the JMM-led alliance for their performance in the state. @HemantSorenJMM
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 23, 2024
In another post, the PM hailed the power of ‘good governance’. “Heartfelt gratitude to my sisters and brothers of Maharashtra, especially the youth and women of the state, for a historic mandate to the NDA. This affection and warmth is unparalleled. I assure the people that our Alliance will keep working for Maharashtra’s progress.”
Development wins!
Good governance wins!
United we will soar even higher!
Heartfelt gratitude to my sisters and brothers of Maharashtra, especially the youth and women of the state, for a historic mandate to the NDA. This affection and warmth is unparalleled.
I assure the…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 23, 2024
He also praised NDA karyakartas for their “efforts on the ground”. “They worked hard, went among people and elaborated on our good governance agenda,” he said
4.45 pm: Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal has called the Maharashtra result “unbelievable”. “We are examining the result,” he added.
The INDIA alliance is maintaining a strong lead in the state with JMM having won 10 seats.
4.10 pm: “PM Modi and the Union government supported us and cooperated with us on the schemes we wanted to float. The central government helped us financially for the implementation of these schemes,” the CM added. “The common man was at the centre of the Mahayuti’s governance. Women, farmers, youth, we wanted to ensure all these sectors benefit.”
“We didn’t just say it, we actually transferred five installments to eligible women under the Ladki Bahin scheme,” said Shinde.
Taking a veiled dig at Uddhav Thackeray, known for his Facebook live videos, Shinde said, “It has been established that a government cannot be run through Facebook and from the house. I used to go out, meet the common man. The deputy CMs and we worked 24×7 throughout the two and a half years.”
4.00 pm: Speaking to the media at a joint Mahayuti press briefing, NCP leader Ajit Pawar said, “The people of Maharashtra have looked towards development and voted for us. Ladki Bahin was a game-changing scheme. The women of Maharashtra were the undercurrent that took us to victory. We have more responsibility now. We have to work with more vigour now.”
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde said, “People have showered Mahayuti with votes and love.”
“In the last two and a half years, we took the lead and finished various projects halted by our predecessors, the MVA. The Ladki Bahin scheme, free cylinders, and schemes for youth and farmers have resonated with the voters,” he added.
3.50 pm: In Mumbai’s Anushakti Nagar NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidate Fahad Ahmad, earlier in the lead, is now losing to Sana Malik of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP by 3,378 votes. Ahmad, the husband of actor Swara Bhasker, has alleged on X that there was a “rank manipulation” and sought a recount of rounds 16, 17, 18 and 19.
Swara Bhasker did a similar post on X, saying “99% battery charger EVMs are opened and BJP supported NCP-Ajit Pawar candidate takes lead” after round 17, 18, 19 of counting. Read ThePrint’s story.
3.40 pm: Winners for 49 seats declared for Maharashtra by EC with the BJP having won in 18, the Shinde Sena in 13, and NCP Ajit Pawar in 11.
Shiv Sena (UBT) has won in just 1, so far—Versova—and is leading in 20. The Congress, too, has registered victory in just 1 seat, Armori.
NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) has bagged 3 seats so far—Mumbra-Kalwa, Karmala and Madha.
3.15 pm: After trailing for most of the day in Jharkhand’s Gandey, JMM leader Kalpana Soren is now leading by 6,862 votes against BJP’s Muniya Devi.
Workers of the JMM-led Mahagathbandhan, which has maintained its lead and been declared winner in 3 seats—Chandankiyari, Gomia and Torpa—were seen celebrating with Kalpana Soren.
CPIMLL’s Chandradeo Mahato has won from Jharkhand’s Sindri seat.
3.00 pm: Speaking to the media on Mahayuti’s performance, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said, “The people of Maharashtra have given us an unprecedented victory. This shows that people are with PM Narendra Modi. In line with the slogan he gave—’ek hain toh safe hain’—people from all sections and communities voted for us unitedly… This is the victory of Mahayuti, CM Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and Ramdas Athawale, this is the victory of unity…”.
“People have given Eknath Shinde the legitimacy as a successor to Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena,” he added.
“There is no argument or conflict regarding who will hold the post of CM,” said the Deputy CM. “After the election is declared, the party presidents of all three parties will meet and make a decision. Honourable Home Minister Amit Shah announced in the press conference that all three parties would unanimously make a decision after the formal declaration of election results.”
#WATCH | Mumbai | On Mahayuti's victory in assembly elections, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis says, "The people of Maharashtra have given us an unprecedented victory. This shows that people are with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In line with the slogan he gave 'Ek hain… pic.twitter.com/B3yACFiWyy
— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2024
2.45 pm: Nitesh Rane, BJP MLA from Kankavli constituency and son of Narayan Rane, has retained the seat, having defeated Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sandesh Bhaskar Parkar by 58,007 votes.
In the run up to the elections, a purported statement by Nitesh about “entering mosques and hunting Muslims” had become the centre of a major political row. And while bellicosity has been the hallmark of the Rane family’s politics, senior Rane was hardly associated with communally sensitive statements. Read ThePrint’s story on Rane clan’s brand of aggressive politics.
2.30 pm: With Priyanka Gandhi Vadra having won the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat bypoll by a margin of 4,08,036 votes, celebrations are on outside her home in Delhi.
2.10 pm: NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar)’s Abhijeet Dhananjay Patil has won from Madha, defeating Independent Ranjit Babanrao Shinde by a margin of 30,621 votes.
2.00 pm: With Mahayuti—comprising BJP, Shinde Sena and NCP-Ajit Pawar—maintaining its lead, party workers are in celebratory mode. Meanwhile, in Washim, posters depicting BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis as the chief minister of Maharashtra have surfaced
Contesting from Nagpur South West, Fadnavis is leading against Congress’s Prafulla Vinodrao Gudadhe by a margin of 24,230 votes with 18 of 28 rounds of counting done.
#WATCH | Posters depicting BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra seen in Washim city.
As per official EC trends, Fadnavis is leading on Nagpur South West seat by a margin of 24,593 votes over Congress' Prafulla Vinodrao Gudadhe. Mahayuti is all set to form… pic.twitter.com/MleKjJFINg
— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2024
Speaking to the media last month, Fadnavis, when asked about the Mahayuti’s CM face, had pointed to Shinde sitting next to him. “The chief minister is sitting here. Ask the Opposition who is their face,” he said, adding that no one in the ruling alliance was desperate to get the top post.
1.40 pm: Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi is leading in Dhanwar by 12,127 against JMM’s Nizam Uddin Ansari.
Earlier in the day, Marandi had expressed confidence in BJP’s chances of victory, citing corruption in the incumbent administration as the key reason.
Speaking to the media, he said: “One major factor was corruption, which plagued people from top to bottom. Law and order had deteriorated, development work wasn’t happening, and on top of that, the issue of Bangladeshi infiltrators. The Hemant (Soren) government was settling them here, making their ration cards, Aadhaar cards, linking them to voter lists, and even getting land registered in their names. Naturally, people were angry about all this, and that is one of the main reasons”, the former Jharkhand CM told ANI.
1.30 pm: BJP registered its second win in Maharashtra in Ghatkopar East, where its candidate Parag Shah beat NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar)’s Jadhav Rakhee Harishchandra by 34,999 votes.
The Shinde Sena has won from Bhiwandi Rural against Sena (UBT) candidate Ghatal Mahadev Ambo. The margin of victory was 57,962 votes.
The Ajit Pawar-led NCP won Niphad and Shrivardhan seats.
1.15 pm: In Maharashtra, the first win goes to BJP’s Kalidas Nilkanth Kolambkar who won against Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Shraddha Shridhar Jadhav by 24,973 votes.
12.45 pm: In Maharashtra, the Mahayuti has raced ahead and is leading in 215 seats.
Speaking to the media, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said, “Let the end results be declared, and then we will decide (who will be CM).”
Speaking about Aaditya Thackeray’s fate in Worli, he said, “His 2.5 years were spent making allegations. Now, he should consider what people prefer—allegations or work. It is work that gives you credibility, and the work we did in the past 2.5 years has been seen by people. Our party has always aimed to provide what people need. We want development and happiness in our society. That’s why we focused on development on one hand and progress on the other, and because of this, you will see a significant victory today.”
12.35 pm: In Maharashtra’s Worli, two prominent political dynasties—the Deoras and the Thackerays—are locked in a closely fought contest. Earlier in the day, Aaditya Thackeray briefly trailed behind Deora but has since regained the lead. He is now ahead by over 2,000 votes, with the margin steadily widening. Read ThePrint’s story on this closely watched seat
12.15 pm: In Jharkhand, INDIA alliance is ahead in 46 seats, while the NDA is leading in 33.
12.10 pm: Aaditya Thackeray’s cousin and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Varun Sardesai is leading in Vandre East by 4,630 votes. Zeeshan Siddique is trailing in second place. Zeeshan’s father Baba Siddique was killed last month in Mumbai.
Another candidate in the fray is Shiv Sena rebel Trupti Sawant—widow of Prakash (Bala) Sawant, the Shiv Sena MLA from the seat who died in 2015—contesting on an MNS ticket. She’s currently trailing in third place by 11,938 votes. Read ThePrint’s analysis of the three-way contest.
Overall, Mahayuti is ahead in 216 seats in the state, with the BJP accounting for 128 seats.
11.55 am: For bypolls in Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
Punjab:
Dera Baba Nanak: Congress’s Jatinder Kaur Randhawa leading
Chabbewal: AAP’s Dr Ishank Kumar leading
Gidderbaha: AAP’s Hardeep Singh Dimy Dhillon leading
Barnala: INC’s Kuldeep Singh Dhillon Kala Dhillon leading
Rajasthan:
Jhunjhunu: BJP’s Rajendra Bhamboo leading
Ramgarh: INC’s Aryaan Zubair leading
Dausa: INC’s Deen Danyal leading
Deoli–Uniara: BJP’s Rajendra Gurjar leading
Khinwsar: Rashtriya Loktantrik Party’s Kanika Beniwal leading
Salumber: Bharat Adivasi Party’s Jitesh Kumar Katara leading
Chorasi: Bharat Adivasi Party’s Anil Kumar Katara leading
Uttar Pradesh:
Meerapur: Rashtriya Lok Dal’s Mithlesh Pal leading
Kundarki: BJP’s Ramveer Singh leading
Ghaziabad: BJP’s Sanjeev Sharma leading
Khair: BJP’s Surender Diler leading
Karhal: Samajwadi Party’s Tej Pratap Singh leading
Sishamau: Samajwadi Party’s Naseem Solanki leading
Phulpur: BJP’s Deepak Patel leading
Katehari: Samajwadi Party’s Shobhawati Verma leading
Majhawan: BJP’s Shuchismita Maurya leading
West Bengal:
Sitai: All India Trinamool Congress’s Sangita Roy leading
Madarihat: AITC’s Jayprakash Toppo leading
Naihati: AITC’s Sanat Dey leading
Haroa: AITC’s SK Rabiul Islam leading
Medinipur: AITC’s Sujoy Hazra leading
Taldangra: AITC’s Falguni Singhababu leading
11.50 am: In Sikkim, Aditya Golay (Tamang) and Satish Chandra Rai, both from Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) won the bypolls from Soreng-Chakhung and Namchi-Singhithang, respectively, after the seats remained uncontested.
In Meghalaya’s lone seat, Gambegre, seeing bypolls, NPP’s Mehtab Chandee Agitok Sangma is leading.
In Uttarakhand, BJP’s Asha Nautiyal is leading from Kedarnath
11.45 am Results for bypolls in Karnataka, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh
Karnataka:
Shiggaon: Congress’s Pathan Yasirahmedkhan leading
Sandur: Congress’s E. Annapoorna leading
Channapatna: Congress’s C.P. Yogeeshwara leading
Kerala:
Palakkad: Congress’s Rahul Mamkootathil is leading
Chelakkara: CPI (Marxist)’s U R Pradeep is leading
Madhya Pradesh:
Vijaypur: BJP’s Ramniwas Rawat leading
Budhni: BJP’s Ramakant Bhargava leading
11.40 am: Counting is ongoing in the one seat each in Chhattisgarh and Gujarat that is seeing bypolls. In Chhattisgarh’s Raipur City South, BJP’s Sunil Kumar Soni is leading. In Gujarat’s Vav, Congress’s Gulabsingh Pirabhai Rajput is leading.
11.35 am: Counting of votes for by-elections to 48 assembly constituencies and 2 Lok Sabha seats across 15 states is underway.
Results for Assam and Bihar
Assam:
Dholai: BJP’s Nihar Ranjan Das leading
Sidli: United People’s Party, Liberal’s Nirmal Kumar Brahma leading
Bongaigaon: Asom Gana Parishad’s Diptimayee Choudhury leading
Behali: BJP’s Diganta Ghatowal leading
Samaguri: INC’s Tanzil Hussain is leading
Bihar:
Tarari: BJP’s Vishal Prashant leading
Ramgarh: BJP’s Ashok Kumar Singh leading
Imamganj: Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)’s Deepa Kumari leading
Belaganj: JDU’s Manorama Devi leading
11.20 am: The Gandhis continue to strike gold in southern India. Trends show Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra leading in Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, where a bypoll was necessitated by the resignation of brother Rahul Gandhi. This is Priyanka’s electoral debut.
In Karnataka’s Channapatna, C.P. Yogeeshwara of the Congress is ahead of Nikhil Kumaraswamy of the JD(S); in Shiggaon, former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai’s son Bharat is trailing Pathan Yasirahmedkhan of the Congress; and in Sandur, the Congress party’s E. Annapoorna is ahead of Bangara Hanumantha of the BJP.
11.00 am: Kalpana Soren, JMM candidate for Gandey assembly, is trailing by a margin of 4,593 votes, after round 3/21 of counting, according to latest EC data.
10.40 am: With Mahayuti well past the halfway mark in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut says, “This cannot be the decision of the people of Maharashtra. We know what the people of Maharashtra want.”
#WATCH | Mumbai | As Mahayuti has crossed halfway mark in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut says, "This cannot be the decision of the people of Maharashtra. We know what the people of Maharashtra want…" pic.twitter.com/X2UgBdMOCH
— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2024
10.25 am: In Jharkhand, INDIA bloc crosses halfway mark. The alliance is leading in 52 of the state’s 81 seats.
10.15 am: Mahayuti crosses halfway mark in Maharashtra. Shinde-led Shiv Sena is leading in 36 seats, the NCP in 30, and the BJP is leading in 95 seats — CNN News 18
With the alliance in lead in one state, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla has predicted a win for the party-led NDA in Jharkhand as well. “In both the places, NDA is going to form its government under the leadership of PM Modi. Exit polls have already come and in a short while, exact polls are also going to come and NDA is going to win. The way questions are being raised on EVM even before the results are announced, it is clear that they (INDIA alliance) have already started worrying about their defeat,” he said to ANI.
10.00 am: Counting is also underway in Kerala’s Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency for the by-election. Here, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is leading with 5,672 votes. Wayanad, a Congress bastion, is witnessing a triangular contest between Priyanka, BJP’s Navya Haridas, and the Left candidate Sathyan Mokeri.
9.40 am: In Jharkhand, the opposition INDIA alliance has taken the lead in 28 seats, with the NDA ahead in 23 seats — CNN News 18
9.20 am: In Jharkhand, the BJP-led NDA is in the lead in 15 seats, while the opposition INDIA bloc is ahead in 8 — CNN News 18
9.00 am: Initial trends by Election Commission of India (ECI) have the BJP in the lead in 1 seat in Maharashtra, Wadala; NCP in the lead in Sinnar; and the Shinde-led Sena ahead in 2 seats, Jalgaon Rural and Buldhana.
Watch ThePrint’s analysis and updates
8.45 am: In Jharkhand, while the BJP brought in its top leaders, including PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, to campaign, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) was left to shoulder much of the campaign responsibility as its INDIA bloc ally, the Congress, seemingly adopted a half-hearted approach. Read ThePrint’s story.
8.30 am: Mahayuti is in the lead in Maharashtra, show early trends. The ruling Mahayuti is leading in 17 seats, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi is ahead in 11 — CNN-News18
8.15 am: On BJP’s CM face in Jharkhand, candidate from Saraikela assembly constituency and former CM Champai Soren says, “BJP is the largest party in the country. It will be decided by the party and then there will be a discussion between the MLAs….”
#WATCH | #JharkhandElection2024 | Seraikela Kharsawan: On CM face in Jharkhand, BJP candidate from Saraikela assembly constituency & former CM, Champai Soren says, "BJP is the largest party in the country. It will be decided by the party and then there will be a discussion… pic.twitter.com/NaS6rOk9V4
— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2024
8 am: Counting of postal ballots begins.
7.45 am: For Maharashtra, most pollsters have predicted a comfortable victory for the ruling alliance Mahayuti over the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Exit polls predicted over 45% vote share for the Mahayuti and 41% for the MVA. The BJP, according to them, will emerge as the single-largest party.
On Jharkhand, pollsters were split, with one giving a clear majority to the INDIA bloc, two others giving a majority to the NDA and another two predicting a hung house.
7.30 am: Besides voter turnout, assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand also saw seizures of higher value than recorded in 2019. As of 18 November, EC had seized cash, liquor, drugs and precious metals collectively worth an estimated Rs 858 crore—worth seven times that of seizures recorded in the 2019 assembly elections.
7.15 am: Election Commission data shows that voter turnout in both Maharashtra and Jharkhand was higher than in the 2019 assembly elections, at 65.02 percent and 67.55 percent, respectively. Voting in Jharkhand was held in two phases (13 November and 20 November), while Maharashtra went to the polls in a single phase on 20 November.
Also Read: 6 regions, 36 districts & 288 seats: How to read Maharashtra’s electoral map
Since Priyanka jawaharlal Nehru Vadra unexpectedly, EVM can’t be trusted blindly.
Table shows NDA leading but headline says INDI Alliance leading in Jharkhand. Something wrong.