Maharashtra to vote on November 20, Jharkhand in two phases on November 13 and 20

The Election Commission has announced that Maharashtra and Jharkhand will hold their Assembly elections in November, marking the final round of state polls for 2024.

Voting in Maharashtra will occur in a single phase on November 20, while Jharkhand will vote in two phases, on November 13 and November 20.

The results for both states will be declared on November 23.

These elections come as the BJP seeks to maintain its momentum after a successful year, following historic victories in the general election and the Haryana Assembly polls. The stakes are high for both the BJP and the Congress, as these elections are expected to set the tone for future political battles.

In the 2019 Jharkhand elections, Chief Minister Hemant Soren's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), part of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, secured 47 of the state's 82 seats.

In Maharashtra, the BJP, in alliance with the (then united) Shiv Sena, won 161 of the 288 seats. However, the alliance dissolved over a power-sharing dispute, leading to the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, a coalition of the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Congress. That government was short-lived, collapsing in 2023 after rebellions by the Sena's Eknath Shinde and the NCP's Ajit Pawar, who are now the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, respectively, under a new ruling alliance with the BJP.

In the upcoming election, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, which now includes factions of the Sena and NCP, aims to close 2024 on a high note. Chief Minister Shinde is counting on his flagship Ladki Bahin Yojana, a welfare scheme providing poor women with a monthly stipend of Rs 1,500, to attract voters. Despite a poor showing in the Lok Sabha elections, where the alliance won only 17 of 48 seats, the Rs 46,000-crore scheme is being touted as a game-changer.

For the Congress, the Maharashtra election is crucial following setbacks in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir. The Congress will need to address internal challenges, particularly seat-sharing issues within its alliance, if it hopes to perform well in these elections.

Jharkhand's election is set to be contentious, with much of the focus on the legal troubles surrounding Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Soren, arrested earlier this year on money laundering charges, has repeatedly denied the allegations, accusing the BJP of targeting him to weaken the opposition. Despite securing bail, Soren’s party will face a tough challenge from the BJP in this election.

These elections will be the final state contests of the year, following the recent polls in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir. In Haryana, the BJP secured a surprise victory over the Congress, while in Jammu & Kashmir, the National Conference-Congress alliance triumphed, although the Congress’ contribution to that win has been questioned.