India's richest state of Maharashtra begins voting for provincial elections
Voting began early Wednesday in India’s western state of Maharashtra for provincial elections.
According to election authorities, Polling is underway for 288 assembly seats, with approximately 97 million registered voters deciding the fate of 4,136 candidates. Voting began at 7 a.m. local time (0130 GMT) and will conclude at 6 p.m. (1230 GMT), with the Election Commission overseeing the process through 100,186 polling stations set up across the state.
The primary battle pits the Mahayuti alliance, led by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), against the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, spearheaded by the Congress party. This election also marks the first significant political face-off between the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), a coalition headed by the Indian National Congress, since this year’s general elections.
Leaders from all major parties have engaged in vigorous campaigns across the politically pivotal state, aiming to sway voters in their favor. Analysts suggest that while national politics are influential, local issues are likely to play a crucial role in determining the outcome.
Vote counting is scheduled for November 23. Simultaneously, the eastern state of Jharkhand will also wrap up its election process on Wednesday, with polling taking place for 38 out of its 81 assembly seats in the final phase.
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