Voting for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024 is currently taking place, with polling hours set from 7 am to 6 pm. Results will be announced on November 23. In Jharkhand, elections are being held for 38 assembly seats as part of the second phase of voting.
As of 11 am, Maharashtra reported a voter turnout of 18.14%. The district of Gadchiroli recorded the highest turnout at 30%, while Nanded had the lowest at 13.67%. Many polling stations have seen high voter turnout, with large crowds gathering since early morning. Additionally, by-elections are being conducted today for 14 seats across three other states.
Several high-profile individuals have shown their commitment to democracy by casting their votes in Maharashtra. Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, along with his family, voted at a polling station in Mumbai. Other notable figures, including Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das and Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, were also seen participating in the electoral process.
Influential political leaders such as Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), as well as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Chandrakant Patil, also exercised their voting rights, highlighting the significance of this election for both state and national parties.
As voting continues, renewed allegations regarding the Bitcoin scam have emerged, intensifying the political atmosphere. The BJP has accused Congress leader Nana Patole and NCP’s Supriya Sule of utilizing foreign funds to influence the elections. These funds are alleged to have been used to sway voter decisions. An audio clip purportedly featuring Supriya Sule has surfaced, although both Sule and NCP leader Sharad Pawar have denied these claims.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar acknowledged the existence of the audio clips but contended that they have been manipulated.
In contrast, BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde has accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of disseminating false information and challenged him to provide evidence of Tawde’s alleged involvement in a separate scandal involving Rs. 5 crore.
Polling stations in Nagpur Central, Nashik, and Malegaon experienced technical issues due to malfunctions with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), causing delays in Nagpur Central for about an hour while technicians addressed the problems. Despite these setbacks, voting has resumed smoothly in these areas.
Tensions also escalated in Dhule, where clashes occurred between BJP and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi workers outside a polling booth. Additionally, a suspicious vehicle parked outside the Shivaji Nagar polling station in Navi Mumbai was seized by security forces, which contained electronic devices, raising concerns over potential tampering.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi addressed the resurfacing Bitcoin scam allegations, asserting that the BJP is making unfounded accusations out of fear regarding the election results. Chaturvedi claimed that the BJP is attempting to mislead voters with falsified audio clips allegedly featuring Supriya Sule and Nana Patole. She suggested that the BJP’s tactics are a deliberate effort to distract voters, foreseeing a challenging outcome for the party in this election.
As election day unfolds, voters in Maharashtra and Jharkhand continue to cast their ballots amidst a backdrop of political tensions, accusations, and enthusiastic participation. The upcoming results on November 23 are anticipated to have significant implications for both state and national politics.
