Maharashtra, Jharkhand exit polls: Date, time and where to watch
Voters in Maharashtra and Jharkhand are exercising their franchise in high-stakes assembly elections on Wednesday. In Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance is hoping to retain power against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition. Voting is being held across all 288 constituencies from 7:00am to 6:00pm. The election results will be declared on November 23.
Maharashtra's political landscape and key players
The Mahayuti alliance comprises BJP contesting 149 seats, Shiv Sena 81, and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) 59. The MVA's Congress is contesting on 101 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) on 95, and Sharad Pawar-led NCP on 86 seats. Other parties such as Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) are also in the fray, with BSP fielding 237 and AIMIM 17.
High-profile leaders campaign in Maharashtra elections
High-profile leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have campaigned vigorously in Maharashtra. While the Mahayuti campaigned on the back of welfare schemes such as "Majhi Ladki Bahin," opposition parties slammed BJP slogans for allegedly polarizing voters on religious lines. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar distanced himself from these slogans.
Jharkhand's 2nd phase of voting and key contenders
In Jharkhand, voting is underway for the second phase across 38 assembly seats. Polling started at 7:00am at 14,218 booths in 12 districts and will continue till 5:00pm. 1.23 crore voters are eligible to vote in this phase. The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led INDIA bloc hopes to retain power against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Exit polls for Maharashtra and Jharkhand elections
Exit polls for both states will be released after voting ends on Wednesday at 6:30pm. The polls will predict possible winners and margins of victory based on feedback from voters collected by survey agencies. As per Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, exit polls cannot be published until half an hour after polling ends.
