The election results from Maharashtra and Jharkhand are in, marking a dramatic turn of events in both states. In Maharashtra, the Mahayuti alliance celebrates an extraordinary victory, while in Jharkhand, the INDIA coalition claims significant success.
They say victories and defeats go hand in hand in elections. Yet, when a win is overwhelming or a loss is devastating, it becomes a sensational topic. Astonishing numbers have surfaced in the Maharashtra and Jharkhand elections, truly remarkable...
- In Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party is on the verge of winning an unprecedented 129 seats. Only six months ago, during the Lok Sabha elections, the party seemed weak, with a win in just 9 seats.
- The Lok Sabha election outcomes had bolstered Congress's morale, particularly in Maharashtra, where the party had secured the most seats—13. But in the assembly elections, the party faces a crushing defeat, potentially winning only 18 seats.
- It's also unprecedented in Maharashtra that the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) alone seems to be outperforming the three parties of the INDIA alliance: Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction), and NCP (Sharad Pawar). Shinde's party is anticipated to win 55 seats, while the INDIA alliance might win just 51.
- As Mahayuti aims for control over 228 seats in Maharashtra, the Mahavikas Aghadi might secure a mere 51 seats. Such a disastrous defeat for the opposition is unprecedented.
In the assembly elections, the question of who the genuine Shiv Sena is led to intense verbal sparring. Eknath Shinde's impressive win of 55 seats further complicates Uddhav Thackeray's future challenges. Despite Uddhav being the heir of Balasaheb Thackeray, this extraordinary victory has marked Eknath Shinde as a prominent Shiv Sena leader.
- In Jharkhand, Hemant Soren makes a dramatic return to power with a resounding victory, which in itself is stunning given the various corruption allegations against him during his five years in office. Yet, the BJP faces another potent defeat in Jharkhand, which is also remarkable.
'Divided, we fall'—used in this election for the first time. The BJP claims success in conveying this message, attributing it to its extraordinary win. In the UP by-elections, the NDA alliance seems to be winning 7 out of 9 assembly seats. Contrast this with the Lok Sabha elections where BJP suffered a severe loss in Uttar Pradesh, the 'Divided, we fall' slogan is heralded as the mantra for unprecedented success.
Meanwhile, in Perth, a Test match between India and Australia is underway. Team India is heading towards a formidable lead, having secured over 200 runs advantage. India scored 150 in its first innings, while Australia was all out for 104 in theirs. This series holds critical importance for both teams.
