New Delhi:

The Congress continued its losing spree on Saturday posting its worst-ever show in Maharashtra and ending up as a distant junior partner to the ruling JMM in Jharkhand, with further diminishing role in the opposition bloc as other allies perform better.

While the INDIA bloc’s victory in Jharkhand was some consolation, losing a big state like Maharashtra after the upset in Haryana is likely to weaken the grand old party’s broad bargaining power in this era of coalition politics.

The poor show of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra extinguished hopes of getting Rajya Sabha seats from the state in future.

On the other hand, the NDA with its stupendous victory is set to get a majority in the Upper House in the next cycle of biennial elections.

Despite being the dominant party of the opposition MVA in Maharashtra, the Congress failed to pull the weight of the opposition bloc and stood decimated in the face of an NDA tsunami.

The Congress which contested the highest number of assembly seats among MVA allies, 101 out of 288, was winning or leading in only 16 seats with one of the lowest strike rates of 16 per cent.

The worst strike rate in Maharashtra elections was of Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) at 11.6 per cent (with lead/win in 10 seats out of 86 fought), Shiv Sena (UBT) managing 22 per cent (lead/ win in 21 seats as against 95 contested).

On the other hand, the strike rate of the BJP was the highest with 88.6 per cent (lead/win in 132 seats out of 149 it contested).

The BJP got a vote share of 26.78 per cent and was followed by Shiv Sena with 12.38 per cent and NCP with 9.01 per cent. Among the MVA, the Congress had the highest vote share of 12.42 per cent, followed by NCP-SP with 11.28 and Shiv Sena (UBT) with 9.96 per cent.

Interestingly, other parties got more vote share of 13.82 per cent than each of the MVA partners.

Among some of the prominent Congress leaders who lost in Maharashtra were former CM Prithviraj Chavan, senior leader and eight-term MLA Balasaheb Thorat, ex-CM Vilasrao Deshmukh’s son Dhiraj Deshmukh in Latur rural, Yashomati Thakur, Ramesh Bagwe and Ganpatrao Patil.

Among MVA allies, those who lost include Harshvardhan Patil and Sharad Pawar’s grand nephews Rohit Pawar and Yugendra Pawar, all from NCP-SP. Besides, Amit Thackeray, son of MNS leader Raj Thackeray, also lost in his political debut.

Maharashtra has given several tall leaders to the Congress including Y B Chavan, Murli Deora, Sharad Pawar, Vasant Sathe, Sushilkumar Shinde and Shivraj Patil.

In Jharkhand, it was Chief Minister Hemant Soren-led JMM that saw the ruling coalition through as his party gained a four percentage vote share over the last elections while the share of the rest of the parties either fell or remained stagnant.

The BJP in Jharkhand got 33.18 per cent vote share while JMM got 23.44 per cent and the Congress 15.56 per cent.

The AJSUP (NDA ally) lost around 5 per cent vote share compared to 2019 and the JMM gained that 5 per cent, while Congress gained 2 per cent. The JMM won 34 seats while the Congress won 16 seats, with RJD winning 4 seats and CPI-ML in 2 seats. The BJP won 21 seats.

The Saturday outcomes revealed that the Congress continued to falter on the slippery electoral landscape, struggling to win or improve in states where it is ruling and failing to uplift alliances where it is the senior partner.

In Haryana, where the Congress and BJP were in direct contest, the party could not convert the anti-incumbency of BJP’s two terms into a win. Now in Maharashtra, it was unable to retain its Lok Sabha gains or help its allies pull through after the MVA had won 30 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in general elections.

Earlier in Jammu and Kashmir also, the National Conference had powered the INDIA coalition to victory while the Congress ended up a distant junior ally in the poll results.

With the regional players outshining the Congress in successive polls, the party’s position in the opposition bloc is likely to weaken.

In Maharashtra and Jharkhand, the Congress was on a sticky wicket even during seat negotiations with other allies after losing Haryana to the BJP for the third straight time.

Questions are also expected to be raised on the working style and political outlook of Congress party’s chief strategist Rahul Gandhi who has of late focused heavily on caste census and Adani-Ambani bashing as his key electoral planks.

Both issues appear to have failed to resonate among the people at large in the poll-bound states.

The sole glimmer of hope for the Congress today was a comfortable Lok Sabha byelection win for Rahul Gandhi’s sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Kerala’s Wayanad. The Congress also won the Nanded Lok Sabha seat, which it held earlier.

The party also won byelections to all three assembly seats in Karnataka, wresting one each from the BJP and JD(S), and retained Palakkad assembly seat in Kerala.

But that victory paled in comparison to the party’s broad loss, mainly in India’s richest state which was the ideal ground to return a verdict on Rahul’s anti-Gautam Adani and anti-Mukesh Ambani pitch.

In bypolls in Punjab, the wives of both PCC chief Raja Warring and former deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Randhawa lost.

With today’s results, the Congress will enter the 2025 election cycle morally and psychologically depleted.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Guwahati:

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said he is “deeply pained” by the BJP’s poll debacle in Jharkhand which he had described his “second home” a few days ago.

He also congratulated the people of Maharashtra and the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance for retaining power, while expressing gratitude to the people of Assam for supporting NDA nominees in by-polls in all five seats in Assam.

Sarma, the party’s co-in-charge for Jharkhand polls, congratulated the JMM for its impressive victory in Jharkhand while asserting that the NDA wanted to protect the state from infiltration and to lead it towards the path of development.

“The loss in Jharkhand is deeply painful for me personally, even though we secured victory in all five by-elections in Assam,” Sarma said in a post on X.

The BJP leader said he is humbly accepting the mandate of the people, for that is the true essence of democracy.

“I have witnessed the unwavering dedication and relentless efforts of our Karyakartas in Jharkhand, who gave their all in this election. We fought with a vision to protect the state from infiltration and to lead it on the path of development, fulfilling the aspirations of students and youth,” Sarma added.

During the electioneering, the BJP focused on “infiltration from Bangladesh” and alleged corruption of the JMM-led coalition, which is now set to storm back to power for the second time in a row.

“JMM and its allies have secured an impressive victory in Jharkhand. My heartfelt congratulations to Shri @HemantSorenJMM and his entire team on this achievement. I am confident that under his leadership, Jharkhand will embark on a path of progress and development,” Sarma said.

As the BJP’s co-in-charge of the Jharkhand election, Sarma frequently visited that state and addressed numerous public meetings. On November 19, he said in an X post: “Over the past four months, Jharkhand has truly felt like a second home to me.” The Assam CM also expressed his gratitude to the people of his state for their support to the NDA candidates through another post on the micro-blogging site.

“The NDA’s 5/5 victory in the current by-elections is a resounding testament to Assam’s unwavering support for Adarniya @narendramodi Ji’s vision of good governance and development,” Sarma said.

“A special mention for Samaguri, a constituency with a 65% minority population, held by Congress for 25 years, now won by the BJP. This historic victory reaffirms people’s trust in our welfare agenda and their firm rejection of the Opposition’s divisive politics,” he added.

Though the counting of votes for the Samaguri constituency is yet to be over, the BJP candidate has attained an unassailable lead.

“A big shoutout to our dedicated Karyakartas who took our message of development to every booth!” he added.

The BJP has already won in Behali and Dholai, and its allies AGP and UPPL in Bongaigaon and Sidli constituencies respectively.

Sarma also congratulated the people of Maharashtra and its ruling alliance for retaining power.

“On behalf of the people of Assam, we offer our heartfelt congratulations to the people of Maharashtra and each and every karyakartas of #MahaYuti for this historic mandate. This win exemplifies the deep bond people share with Adarniya @narendramodi Ji and his agenda for a Viksit Bharat,” he wrote on X.

“Last but not the least, these results also demonstrate the power of #ek hain toh safe hai!” he added. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

In a light grey sports sweatshirt, flanked by party leaders in more formal attire, Hemant Soren announced in a rather slow, conversational tone the victory of his party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and its alliance in the assembly election.

The grouping, known as INDIA, comprising the JMM, Congress, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, crossed the halfway mark comfortably and managed to keep ‘Fort Jharkhand’ safe from the approaching forces of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which has a reputation as an election-winning machine.

“I heard Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has congratulated us. I want to thank him,” said the Jharkhand Chief Minister who was recently jailed in a land case, a matter which the JMM alleged was the Centre’s conspiracy to harass rivals using investigative agencies.

“All of you know it is a hard-won victory after the battle between INDIA and the NDA,” Mr Soren told reporters this evening. “The people have taken a huge, responsible decision in ensuring the state remains strong. Many first-time voters participated, and I thank them for their support.”

He thanked the youth, farmers, women, workers and people from all sections of society for “keeping faith in us”.

Mr Soren, who quit as Chief Minister before he was jailed, took over the top post after he was released.

Earlier today, as counting of votes began, the numbers for the NDA or the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra looked good. In the north in Jharkhand, over 1,300 km away, the NDA also appeared to be leading. However, within a span of minutes as more trends came, Mr Soren’s JMM and its allies galloped ahead.

By evening, the trends clearly cemented INDIA’s sure win in Jharkhand, where tribal votes can make or break the chances of national parties.

“How’s the josh?” the JMM’s official handle posted on X, alluding to the phenomenal chase and eventual overtaking of the NDA’s numbers.

Maharashtra, Jharkhand Election Results 2024 Live Updates: All eyes are on the counting of votes and results of the high-stakes Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections, which began at 8 am today. In both the states, the BJP-led NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc parties have locked horns in a fierce battle.

In the 288-seat Maharashtra assembly election, the key contest is between the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti alliance – BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) – Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). Most of the exit polls have predicted a win for the Mahayuti alliance – which is aiming to retain power – by a huge margin, against the MVA.

This is the first assembly election since the Shiv Sena and NCP split into rival factions led by Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.

In the 81-seat Jharkhand assembly election, the ruling JMM-led INDIA bloc is seeking a comeback, while the BJP-led NDA alliance aims to wrest it from the ruling alliance. While some of the exit polls have predicted an edge to the NDA alliance in Jharkhand, some have also predicted a hung assembly.

Apart from these, results of the bypolls in 15 assembly seats spread across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala, and Uttarakhand will also be declared today.

Here are the live updates on the assembly election results 2024:

Election Results 2024 LIVE: Zeeshan Siddique leads from Bandra East
NCP candidate Zeeshan Siddique is leading from the Bandra East assembly constituency. He is pitted against Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Varun Sardesai – who is Aaditya Thackeray’s cousin.

Election Results 2024 LIVE: Hemant Soren’s “historic day” message ahead of results
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who is currently leading from the Barhait seat, said that the counting day is a “historic day”.

जोहार साथियों,

कल झारखण्ड विधानसभा चुनाव के मतगणना का ऐतिहासिक दिन है। आने वाला कल झारखण्ड का है, झारखण्डवासियों का है, अबुआ दिशोम-अबुआ राज का है।

झामुमो और INDIA गठबंधन के सभी कर्मठ साथियों से अपील है कि कल हमें अपने-अपने काउंटिंग सेंटर्स पर सजग और सतर्क होकर काउंटिंग की पूरी… pic.twitter.com/PCPUWDa8P3

– Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) November 22, 2024

Election Results 2024 LIVE: NDA Widens Lead In Maharashtra, Stays Ahead In Jharkhand

Election results 2024: Eknath Shinde leads from Kopri-Pachpakhadi assembly constituency

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is leading from the Kopri-Pachpakhadi assembly constituency, as per the early trends.

Election results 2024: NDA leads in 16 seats in Jharkhand, INDIA on 6 seats
The BJP-led NDA alliance is leading on 16 seats in Jharkhand, while the opposition INDIA, led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s JMM, is leading on six seats.

Election Results 2024 LIVE Updates: Mahayuti leads in 30 seats in Maharashtra

The Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti alliance – BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) – is leading in 30 seats in early trends. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi is trailing in six seats.

Election Results 2024: NDA edge in very early leads in Maharashtra, Jharkhand

The BJP-led NDA has an edge in both Maharashtra and Jharkhand as per the early leads. While NDA is leading in eight seats in Maharashtra, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi is leading in five seats. 

In Jharkhand, NDA is leading in six seats, while the Opposition INDIA alliance is leading in three seats.

Election results 2024: Counting begins for assembly elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand
The counting of votes have begun for the assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Along with this, results for 48 assembly seats in 14 states and two Lok Sabha bypoll seats will also be announced.

Election Results 2024 LIVE Updates: Key seats in Maharashtra for Mahayuti vs Maha Vikas Aghadi

Key seats in focus include Worli, where Shiv Sena (UBT) scion Aaditya Thackeray, the incumbent, faces Shinde Sena’s Milind Deora. In Baramati, it’s a family showdown between Ajit Pawar and his nephew Yugendra Pawar from the NCP (SP). Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis may face a tough challenge from Congress candidate Prafful Gudadhe in his stronghold of Nagpur South West.

“Maharashtra will make Maha Vikas Aghadi win”: Shiv Sena (Uddhav team) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said that people of Maharashtra will make the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi victorious and the alliance will make a comeback in the state.

#WATCH | Mumbai: Ahead of the counting of votes for #MaharashtraElection2024 and #JharkhandElection2024, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi says, “Initial trends will start coming in now, postal ballots will be counted. I think picture will be clear around 11 am-12 noon. But… pic.twitter.com/pkfqTtv7SB

– ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2024

Election Results 2024: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra vs Navya Haridas In Wayanad

Elections on Kerala’s Wayanad Lok Sabha seat was also held and the results will be announced today. This is the electoral debut of Congress’ Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is contesting in Wayanad, earlier held by her brother Rahul Gandhi. 

The election was necessitated in Wayanad after Rahul Gandhi won both Wayanad and Rae Bareli seats and decided to retain the latter.

Election results 2024: Key contests in Jharkhand
Key candidates from the JMM include: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana Soren, and Sita Soren. From the BJP, some key candidates are former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi, Assembly Speaker Ravindra Nath Mahto (JMM), AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto, and Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri.

Election results 2024: Lok Sabha bypoll result in Maharashtra’s Nanded today
The result for Maharashtra’s Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll will be announced today. The byelection was necessitated after the demise of Chavan Vasantrao Balwantrao.

Election Results 2024: Where to check results?
You can watch the live coverage of the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly election results on the NDTV news channel. You can also watch the live stream of the election results on NDTV’s YouTube channel and catch the live updates on NDTV.com.

You can also check the results on the official EC website.

Maharashtra, Jharkhand asembly election results today, counting to begin at 8am
The counting of votes for the assembly election results in Maharashtra and Jharkhand will begin at 8 am today. In both the states, the BJP-led NDA alliance and the Opposition INDIA bloc parties have locked horns in a fierce battle.

Election results 2024: Former Jharkhand Congress President on election results today

Former Jharkhand Congress President Rajesh Thakur expressed confidence in the JMM-led alliance retaining the state. 

“A short while from now, trends will start coming in. From what I can understand, the results of the work we did are going to be good. We believe that this day will decide the future of Jharkhand…We believe that we will form an even stronger government once again. We will take our schemes to the people for another five years,” he told news agency ANI.

Election results 2024: Key contests in Maharashtra

Ajit Pawar is up against his nephew Yugendra Pawar in Baramati.

Eknath Shinde, seeking a fourth term, is up against rival Sena’s Kedar Dighe. The two will be fighting for Thane’s Kopri- Pachpakhadi seat.

Worli will witness a battle of scions. Milind Deora ( from Eknath Shinde faction) will face off against Aaditya Thackeray. 

Bandra East will see Zeeshan Siddique (of Ajit Pawar faction) fight against Varun Sardesai ( from Uddhav Thackeray faction).

Mahim is a triangular fight between incumbent MLA Sada Sarvankar (Team Shinde) vs Mahesh Sawant ( Team Uddhav) vs Amit Thackeray.

Devendra Fadnavis will face off against former corporator Praful Vinodrao Gudadhe of the Congress in Nagpur South West seat. The constituency has been the bastion of the BJP since 1999.

Jharkhand Elections 2024: Exit Polls Give NDA Edge, But Hemant Soren Confident
The Jharkhand Assembly elections results, set to be announced today, promise a tense outcome as exit polls show sharply divided projections. The elections concluded on Wednesday with voting spread across two phases for 81 seats. Despite exit polls giving NDA the edge, the JMM is confident of forming government again under the leadership of Hemant Soren, with a two-thirds majority.

Election results 2024: JMM vs BJP-led NDA in Jharkhand
In the 81-seat Jharkhand assembly election, the ruling JMM-led INDIA bloc is seeking to make a comeback, while the BJP-led NDA alliance is aiming to wrest it from the ruling alliance. The JMM fought the election in 41 assembly seats, while its allies and their seats include: Congress (30), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) (6), and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (4). On the other hand, the Opposition BJP in Jharkhand contested 68 seats, and its allies – All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) on 10 seats, Janata Dal (United) (2), and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) (1).

Election results 2024: Mahayuti vs MVA in Maharashtra
In the 288-seat Maharashtra assembly election, the key contest is between the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti alliance – BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) – Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). While the BJP is contesting on 149 seats, Shiv Sena (81) and Ajit Pawar’s NCP (59) in the Mahayuti alliance, the Congress is fighting on 101 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) on 95 and NCP (SP) on 86 seats in the MVA group.

Election results 2024: Results to Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections to be declared today
All eyes are on the counting of votes and results of the high-stake Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections, which will begin at 8 am today. While Maharashtra voted in a single phase on November 23, Jharkhand voted in two phases – November 13 and November 21.