Mumbai

In possibly the most critical state Assembly elections with possible national ramifications, over 9.50 crore people in Maharashtra are voting to pick their choice between the ruling MahaYuti alliance and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi-INDIA bloc.

While both sides are confidently claiming that they will sweep the polls, the ruling MahaYuti may witness a struggle to even touch the ‘magic figure’ of 145 (out of the 288 Assembly seats), as its reputation came under a cloud with the ‘cash-dole’ scam that erupted in its face on Tuesday -- just 24 hours before the elections.

The ruling alliance comprises Shiv Sena led by CM Eknath Shinde, Bharatiya Janata Party with Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, and Nationalist Congress Party headed by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

The MVA-INDIA bloc consists of Congress led by Nana F. Patole, the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) headed by Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) helmed by Uddhav Thackeray.

Till Tuesday evening, the two sides -- MahaYuti and MVA -- have been crowing that they are poised to form the next regime with anything between 165 and 180 seats under the respective belts.

In order to ensure a sweep, both groups had deployed top national and state leaders for the mega-decibel poll campaigning -- which ended on Monday -- in an all-out bid to woo the wise voters, have published alluring manifestos, individual or combined and promised doles and sops at all sections of the society.

There are a total of 4,136 candidates vying for the 288 constituencies hailing from the two main rival alliances, plus other parties or groups and Independents including a motley of rebels with damaging prospects on official nominees.

Among the major contestants, the BJP is contesting 148 seats, Shiv Sena is pitching for 80 and NCP is in the fray for 53 seats; the Congress is contesting 103, Shiv Sena (UBT) is fighting in 89, and NCP (SP) is in the fray for 87 seats, besides six for their smaller allies.

Besides, there is the Bahujan Samaj Party led by Mayawati which has put up 237 candidates, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi of Prakash Ambedkar with 200 contestants, and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena of Raj Thackeray with 128 nominees.

The Congress will lock horns with the BJP in at least 75 seats across the state, NCP (SP) versus NCP in around 41 constituencies, and Shiv Sena (UBT) vis-a-vis Shiv Sena in some 53 seats.

For the Shiv Sena-NCP, it will be a verdict of sorts for legitimacy over the Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) after the splits in June 2022 and July 2023 that rocked Maharashtra politics.

All the parties have their pockets of influence in the seats that are spread out in the state -- Mumbai and coastal Konkan belt (74) seats, Vidarbha region 62 seats, 58 in Western Maharashtra, 47 in North Maharashtra, and 46 in Marathwada.

Some of the bigwigs whose fate will be sealed in the EVMs on Wednesday include CM Shinde (Kopri-Pachpakhadi), Dy CM Fadnavis (Nagpur South West), Dy CM Ajit Pawar (Baramati), Milind Deora (Worli), Chandrashekhar Bawankule (Kamthi).

Others are: Nana Patole (Sakoli), Prithviraj Chavan (Karad South), Chhagan Bhujbal (Yeola), Nitesh N. Rane (Kankavli), Yugendra S. Pawar (Baramati), Aditya Thackeray (Worli), Amit Thackeray of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (Mahim), Kedar Dighe (Kopri-Pachpakhadi), Nilesh N. Rane (Kudal), Abu Asim Azmi (Mankhurd-Shivajinagar), Nawab Malik (Anushakti Nagar), Rahul Narwekar (Colaba), Hitendra Thakur (Virar), among others.

The state election authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the polls and the state police have deployed tight security to thwart any untoward incidents during the voting, besides other state and para-military forces.

Jharkhand

Voting in also taking place for the second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections, covering the remaining 38 seats.

The elections see a fierce contest between the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress alliance, seeking to retain power, and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA, aiming to unseat the Hemant Soren-led government.

In the second phase, prominent seats are under the spotlight. Chief Minister Hemant Soren is contesting from the Barhait constituency, facing BJP's Gamliyel Hembrom.

Another key candidate is BJP's Babulal Marandi, contesting from the Dhanwar constituency. Marandi, the state's first Chief Minister after its formation in 2000, served as Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing assembly. He is up against JMM's Nizam Uddin Ansari.

Kalpana Soren, wife of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, is contesting against BJP's Muniya Devi in the Gandey constituency. Kalpana Soren previously won the assembly by-poll in Gandey earlier this year.

 Another significant candidate is BJP's Sita Soren, contesting from the Jamtara constituency.