Assembly Elections 2024

The assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand are scheduled to be held in November. Maharashtra has 288 seats, while Jharkhand has 81 seats. Voting in Maharashtra will be held in a single phase on November 20. In Jharkhand, polls will be conducted in two phases – November 13 and November 20. Votes will be counted on November 23 for both the state elections.

The two assembly elections are being held over a month after the results of Haryana and J&K assembly elections were declared. The BJP defied exit polls and retained Haryana for a record third straight term. In Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference and Congress alliance won the assembly elections – the first in ten years.

1. Maharashtra Assembly Elections

The 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly will vote in a single phase on November 20. The incumbent assembly's term will end on November 26, three days after the results are declared.

The five years of the outgoing assembly were marred by political turmoil. The state saw three different chief ministers: BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena’s (UBT) Uddhav Thackeray, and now Shiv Sena’s (SHS) Eknath Shinde.

This time, the battle for Maharashtra is largely bipolar between the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The BJP is in alliance with Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena under the ruling Mahayuti banner of the NDA. The Shiv Sena (UBT), the NCP (Sharad Pawar), and the Congress are part of the opposition MVA alliance of the INDIA bloc.

The stakes have never been higher in Maharashtra. As key players vie for control in one of the richest states of India, the November 20 election is more than just a battle for power. While it is a test of leadership legacies for many, it is also a battle for political survival for others.

In the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the BJP lost ground in Maharashtra. It won just 9 of the 28 seats it contested in 2024, compared to 23 of the 25 seats it contested in the 2019 general elections.

The results in Maharashtra will test BJP's momentum post Haryana win. The election will also be another test for the INDIA bloc, as major players in the opposition alliance are in the fray here.

The BJP's fight in Maharashtra is not directly with the Congress as much as it is with regional players. The saffron party has been keen to consolidate its position in Maharashtra, where it has faced challenges from regional players.

The upcoming election will test BJP's ability to stay in power with the help of regional parties – the Shiv Sena and NCP factions, in this case. A victory in Maharashtra would certainly bolster the BJP’s reach beyond its traditional strongholds in the north.

2. Jharkhand Assembly Elections

The 81-member Jharkhand Assembly will go to polls in two phases — November 13 and November 20. The result will be declared on November 23. The term of the incumbent assembly ends on January 5, 2025.

The voting in two phases will elect the 6th Legislative Assembly in Jharkhand, which was bifurcated from Bihar in 2000.

The contest in Jharkhand is between the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led INDIA bloc and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance.

In the 2019 Assembly Elections, JMM emerged as the largest party with 30 seats, while the BJP bagged 25 seats. The Congress won 16 seats, the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) got three seats, while All Jharkhand Students Union won 2 seats.

JMM formed a government with the support of Congress and RJD. The alliance – part of INDIA bloc – is contesting the 2024 assembly election again with Hemant Soren-led JMM set to contest 43 seats. The Congress will field candidates from 30 constituencies. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) will contest six seats while the Left parties will contest three seats.