Voting underway in Maharashtra, Jharkhand; high stakes for NDA, INDIA alliance
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.
PTC News Desk: Voting is underway for assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. The fate of these two states' politics will be decided as citizens are exercising their voting rights. Stakes are high for both ruling and opposition parties. While Jharkhand is voting in the second and final phase today, the voting process in Maharashtra will be concluded in single phase only.
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.
Prime Minister Modi took to her social media and appealed to voters to exercise their rights.
In Maharashtra, 4136 candidates are contesting in spanned 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.
In Jharkhand, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress-Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) coalition is gearing for another innings, while BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is trying to hold control.