Maharashtra, Jharkhand Assembly Elections Live: Ajit Pawar Predicts Landslide Victory for Mahayuti With Over 175 Seats

Maharashtra, Jharkhand Assembly Polls 2024 LIVE: Maharashtra and Jharkhand are gearing up for Assembly elections in November 2024. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has set Maharashtra's single-phase election for November 20, while Jharkhand will hold its polls in two phases on November 13 and November 20. Monday marks the deadline for Maharashtra candidates to withdraw nominations, with vote counting for both states scheduled for November 23. 

Maharashtra’s 288-seat Assembly has seen recent political upheavals. Eknath Shinde became chief minister after splitting from Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena to join the BJP. While the BJP initially won 122 seats in 2014, a realignment led to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, which remained in power until Shinde’s takeover in 2022. 

Currently, the BJP, contesting 148 seats as part of the Mahayuti alliance, is urging dissident members to withdraw independent nominations, warning of disciplinary actions, including potential bans on future re-entry. 

In Jharkhand, 2.6 crore voters, including 1.31 crore men, 1.29 crore women, 11.84 lakh first-time voters, and 66.84 lakh young voters, are eligible. In the last Assembly polls, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) won 30 seats, the BJP took 25, and Congress secured 16. 

11 November 2024

16:20 IST

Jharkhand Assembly Polls: 'Illegal Immigrants Are Taking Jobs...,' Says Shah

While addressing a public rally in Jharkhand's Ranchi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, "... The illegal immigrants are taking up the jobs meant for tribals of the state... The infiltrators are dangerous for our daughters, our resources, and our land... When we form the government, we will bring a law which will prohibit the immigrant from registering tribal land in his name, even if he marries a tribal girl. We will make the immigrant give back the acquired land."

15:00 IST

Jharkhand Polls 2024 Live: Kharge Slams PM Modi In Jharkhand

In Jharkhand’s Palamu, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took a jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, contrasting their slogans and accusing them of promoting division in the country. “He (PM Modi) is saying ‘Ek hai toh safe hai’, UP CM Yogi Adityanath is ‘batenge toh katenge.’ Let them decide which slogan will run," Kharge told ANI. He further claimed that Congress had maintained national unity, while, according to him, the current leadership's divisive approach threatens this harmony. "If they worked by taking everyone together like Congress, then such things would not have come up. Their intention is to finish unity and try to show their dominance," he added. 

11:59 IST

Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 Live: Suspended Congress Leader Claims MVA Backing

Rajendra Mulak, a suspended Congress leader now contesting independently from Ramtek, asserted his backing from major opposition factions. "The election here is being contested by the whole Congress, NCP (SP), and Shiv Sena (UBT)," Mulak said, declaring himself "the candidate of Maha Vikas Aghadi." He added confidently, "Whole Congress is with me, I will win this election with a huge majority."

11:56 IST

Maharashtra Polls 2024 Live: Ajit Pawar Shows Confidence In Alliance 

Maharashtra deputy CM and NCP candidate from Baramati assembly constituency, Ajit Pawar told ANI, "Mahayuti will get more than 175 seats and I will win from Baramati by more than 1 lakh votes." 

11:54 IST

Jharkhand Polls 2024 Live: Himata Sarma On Party's Prospects

Assam Chief Minister and BJP’s co-incharge for Jharkhand, Himanta Biswa Sarma, expressed confidence in the party's prospects, stating, "I think that we are moving forward towards a huge majority. The atmosphere is very good, our election campaign was very good. PM Modi did a historic roadshow yesterday. We are going to win here with a huge majority."