Sat Nov 23 04:50:00 UTC 2024: ## Maharashtra & Jharkhand Assembly Election Results: BJP Coalition Leads in Both States

**Mumbai/Ranchi, November 23:** Vote counting for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections concluded today, revealing a strong lead for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in both states. Exit polls had largely predicted an NDA victory, though some suggested a hung assembly in Jharkhand and a win for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra.

In **Maharashtra**, with 288 seats and a majority requiring 145, early trends indicated a significant win for the BJP coalition. Preliminary results show the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde faction)-NCP (Ajit Pawar) alliance surpassing 209 seats, while the opposition MVA (Congress, Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, NCP-Sharad Pawar) coalition is trailing significantly at around 66 seats. This could potentially break the BJP’s previous best performance of 122 seats in 2014. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut contested the initial trends, alleging manipulation.

The 2019 Maharashtra election resulted in a Shiv Sena-BJP coalition victory, but a subsequent power struggle led to the formation of an MVA government under Uddhav Thackeray, which ultimately collapsed after a rebellion within the Shiv Sena.

**Jharkhand**, with 81 seats and a majority of 42, also saw the BJP-led NDA surpass the majority mark, though the margin appears closer than in Maharashtra. Early trends suggested the BJP alliance was leading on around 45 seats, compared to the JMM alliance’s 34. In 2019, a JMM-Congress coalition secured victory.

The contrasting alliances in both states saw different configurations of parties: In Jharkhand, BJP contested with allies AJSU, JDU, and LJP; while the INDIA alliance comprised JMM, Congress, RJD, and Left parties. In Maharashtra, the Maha Yuti (BJP, Shiv Sena-Shinde, NCP-Ajit Pawar) faced off against the MVA (Congress, Shiv Sena-Uddhav Thackeray, NCP-Sharad Pawar), along with smaller parties.

While initial trends point to a resounding victory for the BJP-led NDA in both states, the final results will provide a clearer picture of the political landscape in these key regions. The results are also being watched closely in the context of the upcoming 2024 general elections. Meanwhile, in a separate election, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra maintained a significant lead in the Wayanad by-election.

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