Voting is underway in Maharashtra and Jharkhand for the high-stakes Assembly elections that will decide the fate of the ruling and opposition political alliances in the two states. While Jharkhand is voting in the second and final phase today, polling in Maharashtra is being conducted in a single phase.
Voting in both the states began at 7 am. It will end at 6 pm in Maharashtra and 5 pm in Jharkhand, barring 31 booths where it will conclude at 4 pm.As of 9 am, Maharashtra witnessed a 6.61 per cent voter turnout, while Jharkhand registered 12.71 per cent.
In Maharashtra, a total of 4,136 candidates are contesting across 288 constituencies. As part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, the BJP is fighting in 149 seats, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in 81, and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 59.
In the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, the Congress has fielded 101 candidates, the Uddhav Thackery-led Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and the NCP (Sharad Pawar) 86.
