The Election Commission of India (ECI) will release dates for Maharashtra and Jharkhand elections at 3:30 PM on October 15. The 288-member Maharashtra assembly will expire on November 26, while the 81-seat Jharkhand house will adjourn on January 5, 2025.
In Maharashtra, the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which comprises the Congress, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), will oppose the ruling Mahayuti coalition, which is composed of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP.
Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the ruling party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), part of the India bloc, will compete with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which comprises the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Janata Dal (United), and the BJP.
The BJP is likely to announce its first candidate list for the Maharashtra elections, which has over 60 members, in the upcoming two days. BJP’s national president, JP Nadda, and union home minister Amit Shah met on Monday in New Delhi with key leaders in the Maharashtra unit and state election in-charge Bhupendra Yadav and Ashwini Vaishnaw.
The Congress party, too, held a meeting to strategize for the assembly election and avoid mistakes that led to defeat in the Haryana elections. The meeting was chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence and attended by former party chief Rahul Gandhi, Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole, leader of opposition in the Maharashtra assembly Vijay Wadetiwwar, and senior leader Balasaheb Thorat.
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