Campaigning for the Maharashtra Assembly elections and the second phase of Jharkhand polls concluded on Monday, with voting scheduled for November 20.
Campaigning also ended for by-elections in nine Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, four in Punjab, and one in Palakkad, Kerala.
Maharashtra’s 288-member Assembly will witness a high-stakes contest between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance—which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar-led NCP—and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction.
The BJP is contesting 149 seats, Shiv Sena 81, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP 59. On the opposition side, Congress has fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP 86. Smaller parties, such as the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and AIMIM, are also in the fray, with BSP contesting 237 seats and AIMIM fielding candidates in 17 constituencies.
The number of candidates has surged by 28% compared to the 2019 elections, with 4,136 candidates in the race, up from 3,239 previously. This includes 2,086 independent candidates and over 150 rebels running against their own party’s official nominees.
Maharashtra has also seen a sharp increase in registered voters, totaling 9.63 crore, with over 69 lakh new voters added since 2019. Among these are 20.93 lakh first-time voters aged 18-19, highlighting the impact of targeted enrolment drives. Approximately six lakh state government employees will oversee election duties across the state.
In Jharkhand, the second phase of voting will take place following the first phase on November 13, which saw polling in 43 constituencies.
Votes cast in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and the bypolls will be counted on November 23.
(Inputs from ANI)