Exit poll highlights: Mahayuti likely to retain Maharashtra, close fight in J'khand

Exit poll results live: The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Mahayuti will edge out the JMM-Congress alliance and the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition in the Jharkhand and Maharashtra assembly elections respectively, most exit polls predicted on Wednesday. READ MORE

In a tragic incident that occurred during the Maharashtra assembly elections, Balasaheb Shinde, an independent candidate from the Beed constituency, died after collapsing at the polling booth, a police official said. READ MORE

Exit poll live: Counting of votes will take place on November 23 for the single-phase Maharashtra election held on Wednesday and the two-phase voting in Jharkhand on November 13 and 20.

Maharashtra exit poll live: In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, 145 is the majority mark, while it is 41 in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly. The BJP-Shiv-Sena-NCP alliance is in power in Maharashtra while JMM-Congress is ruling in Jharkhand.

A voter turnout ranging from 50 to 70 per cent was recorded in the bypolls to 15 assembly seats spread across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala and Uttarakhand on Wednesday amid stray incidents of violence and complaints of irregularities against police officials and misuse of government machinery.

Maharashtra exit poll live: Exit polls, conducted by private polling firms including TV broadcasters, have a patchy record in India, where electoral outcomes are difficult to predict due to the country's large and diverse voting population.

Maharashtra exit poll live: NCP-SCP leader Clyde Crasto said that exit polls proved to be incorrect in Haryana and something similar will happen in exit polls.

“These are exit polls, we saw what happened in Haryana. Exit polls show something else and the final result is something else. The truth is ground reality is different,” said Crasto.

“We are people from the grassroots, we understand what is happening here. As of now what we have seen, it is an even fight, we have an edge. People have voted, let's wait for the results,” added Crasto.

Maharashtra exit poll live: Union Minister and RPI(A) chief Ramdas Athawale exuded confidence in the Mahayuti alliance's performance in Maharashtra adding that the Chief Minister will be from the alliance.

“Mahayuti will get a clear majority with 160-165 seats. The CM will be of Mahayuti,” said Athawale.

Jharkhand exit poll live: According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), Jamtara recorded the highest turnout at 76.16 per cent, followed by Pakur with 75.88 per cent, and Deoghar with 72.46 per cent.

Jharkhand exit poll live: BJP candidate from Saraikela assembly constituency former Jharkhand Chief Minister, Champai Soren on Wednesday said that the change is ensured in the state.

“Exit polls are doing their job. We have gone to every Assembly constituency. Corruption is at its peak, unemployed people are disappointed, students are disappointed so the change is ensured,” said Soren.

Maharashtra exit poll live: The ruling Mahayuti is poised to retain power in Maharashtra with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) also putting up a strong show in assembly polls, exit polls predicted on Wednesday after the conclusion of polling on 288 seats in the state.

Jharkhand exit poll live: Congress leader Pranav Jha said, “ It is a clear mandate in favour of INDIA govt, Mahagathbandhan is going to sweep the elections. We are going to do better than the previous time, there was great enthusiasm among the voters. There was a clear indication that BJP was no match, there was no contest.”

Maharashtra exit poll live: Maharashtra Minister and NCP candidate from Yeola, Chhagan Bhujbal, who was reportedly stopped at the polling booth, on Wednesday said, "In the last six months, the Mahayuti government brought a lot of schemes and implemented them. The fake narrative which was being spread by them was busted. A 100% Mahayuti government will be formed. in Maharashtra."

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey said people are free to decide how much they trust the exit polls but MVA will surely form the government in Maharashtra.

“We leave it to the public to decide how much to believe the exit polls or not, but one thing has been decided in Maharashtra that Maha Vikas Aghadi government is going to be formed with a full majority in Maharashtra,” Dubey said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve said that he is confident that the actual assembly election results will defy the exit polls and MVA will get a clear majority.

“We saw some exit polls but the way we are connected with the ground and we have been to see several places. MVA is getting a clear majority. Whatever the survey is, people have decided to remove Mahayuti,” he told ANI.

Maharashtra exit poll live: On exit poll predictions on Maharashtra elections, State Minister Deepak Kesarkar said, “My prediction is that we will cross 160 (seats) and 10-15 independents may join us.”

“CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis along with Ajit Dada took a lot of effort to see that we could win. The kind of welfare measures we have approved made a great impact. Ajit Dada went to all regions of Maharashtra,” he told ANI.

Jharkhand exit poll live: As exit polls for the 2024 Jharkhand Assembly elections are underway, psephologist Pradeep Gupta-led Axis My India predicted a massive win for the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress-RJD alliance in the state. READ MORE

Jharkhand exit poll live: Pradeep Gupta's Axis My India has predicted a massive victory for the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Congress alliance in its exit poll.

P Marq also predicted that the JMM-led alliance would edge out the National Democratic Alliance.

The Times Now-JVC exit poll predicted a neck-and-neck fight between the two alliances.

Maharashtra exit poll live: While almost all exit poll surveys projected an edge for or a comfortable win for the Mahayuti alliance, one pollster - Electoral Edge - predicted a clear victory for the Maha Vikas Aghadi bloc, comprising the Sharad Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Uddhav Thackeray camp of Shiv Sena.

Maharashtra exit poll live: According to the Electoral Edge exit poll, the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, which comprises Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP), are winning the Maharashtra assembly polls with 155 seats.

Jharkhand exit poll live: Matrize projected 42-47 seats for NDA, 25-30 seats for the INDIA bloc and 1-4 for Others. Meanwhile, Peoples Pulse predicted 44-53 seats for the NDA.

The Times Now-JVC pollster predicted a 40-44 seats win for the NDA.

Maharashtra exit poll live: Pollster Matrize said that the BJP-led alliance will win between 150 and 170 seats in Maharashtra.

The News 24-Chanakya exit poll also predicted a major Mahayuti victory. The pollster said the BJP-led alliance will win 152-160 seats.

According to the Peoples Pulse exit poll, the BJP-led alliance will win 175-195 seats.

Maharashtra exit poll live: Most of the exit polls have predicted an easy victory for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in the Maharashtra assembly election. However, some pollsters have forecast a neck-and-neck fight between the Mahayuti and Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. READ MORE

Live Jharkhand exit poll: The exit poll by Dainik Bhaskar predicted 36-39 seats for the JMM-Congress alliance, 37-40 for the BJP-led NDA and 0-2 seats for Others.

Live Maharashtra exit poll: Congress in-charge for Maharashtra, Ramesh Chennithala dismissed the exit poll prediction in Maharashtra and said it does not reflect the truth.

“Exit polls are not reflecting the reality...People's sentiments are with us...We are touching on the real issues. BJP was always resorting to the people on communal lines. I feel people in Maharashtra will vote for Maha Vikas Aghadi and we will form govt. Exit polls are not telling the reality,” he told ANI.