Jharkhand to vote in 2 phases on Nov 13 & 20; Results on Nov 23

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has officially announced the schedule for the upcoming Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections, which are slated for November. Maharashtra will hold its assembly election in a single phase on November 20, while Jharkhand's assembly elections will take place in two phases — November 13 and November 20. The results for both states are set to be declared on November 23, paving the way for a political showdown between major alliances in both regions.

Maharashtra's current assembly term ends on November 26, and the upcoming election will be crucial in deciding the future of the state's leadership. The battle is primarily between two key alliances: the ruling Mahayuti, which consists of the BJP, Shiv Sena (led by Eknath Shinde), and a faction of the NCP, and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP-SP faction.

Tensions have been rising in Maharashtra following the death of NCP leader Baba Siddique on October 12. The opposition has accused the Eknath Shinde-led government of mishandling law and order in the state. Key MVA leaders, including Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, and Nana Patole, held a press conference on October 13, unveiling a corruption chargesheet against the Mahayuti government, citing various alleged scams and governance lapses.

In Jharkhand, a political battle is brewing between the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led alliance and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The JMM-led government, headed by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, is determined to retain power after the NDA's strong performance in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. Confident of their chances, the JMM has announced plans to contest all 81 assembly seats.

The BJP is also preparing for the fight, with its national leadership convening a meeting chaired by BJP national president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to finalize the list of candidates for the 81 seats in Jharkhand.

With both states set to vote in November, the political atmosphere is heating up, and the results will be closely watched across the nation, as they may have wider implications for the national political landscape.