National Desk
18 November
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
Election campaigning for the second phase of voting in Maharashtra and Jharkhand ended today. Voting will take place on November 20 for 288 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly, 38 seats in Jharkhand, and 9 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh. Counting of votes is scheduled for November 23.
In Jharkhand, the first phase of voting was held on November 13, covering 43 seats. To ensure smooth and fair elections, central security forces have been deployed in sensitive areas. Election staff have been trained to facilitate voters in exercising their constitutional rights without fear.
The nine constituencies in Uttar Pradesh holding by-elections include Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar), Karhal (Mainpuri), Ghaziabad, and Phulpur (Prayagraj), among others.
Fierce Contest Between Mahayuti and MVA in Maharashtra
Maharashtra is witnessing a heated contest between the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Key leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, actively campaigned for their parties.
This year, 4136 candidates are contesting in Maharashtra, a rise from 3239 in 2019. Among them, 2086 are independents, and over 150 constituencies feature rebel candidates. The voter base in the state has grown to 9.63 crore, up from 8.94 crore in 2019.