The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is heading for a sweeping win in Maharashtra, with the BJP crossing 100 seats to solidify its position as the state's largest party. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM-Congress coalition has defied exit polls, securing a majority for a third consecutive term.

In Maharashtra, the ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Ajit Pawar's NCP faction, and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, comfortably surpassed the majority mark of 145 in the 288-member Assembly, winning or leading in 227 seats. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) struggled, leading in only 54 seats. The election outcome is seen as a significant boost for the BJP after its recent Lok Sabha challenges.

Jharkhand witnessed a close contest early on but saw Hemant Soren's coalition gain momentum, crossing the majority mark of 41 in the 81-member assembly with leads in 55 seats. The NDA trailed far behind, leading in just 25 seats.

Adding to the day's political drama were results for 48 assembly bypolls across 13 states and key parliamentary constituencies, including Wayanad in Kerala and Nanded in Maharashtra.

Maharashtra Landslide for Mahayuti Alliance

The Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra celebrated a landslide victory, with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, crediting the success to welfare schemes like the Ladki Bahin Yojana. This women-centric program was hailed as a “game-changer” by the leadership.

Opposition parties, however, rejected the results. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut alleged foul play, calling the mandate "rigged" and accusing BJP leaders of manipulating the outcome. “If MVA cannot win 75 seats, it is clear this is a managed mandate,” Raut remarked.

Key candidates fared as expected: Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar led in their respective constituencies. Among the opposition, Aaditya Thackeray (Shiv Sena-UBT) maintained his lead in Worli, while Congress state chief Nana Patole was ahead in Sakoli. However, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan trailed in Karad South.

JMM-Congress Retains Power in Jharkhand

In Jharkhand, the ruling JMM-Congress-RJD coalition overcame stiff competition to retain power. The alliance, led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, secured leads in 55 seats, far ahead of the NDA's 25 seats. Hemant Soren held his lead in Barhait, though his wife, Kalpana Soren, faced a tough contest in Gandey.

The BJP's Babulal Marandi led in Dhanwar, but former Chief Minister Champai Soren, who shifted from JMM to BJP, trailed in Seraikela. The JMM victory further solidifies its foothold in the state, with the party credited for implementing welfare schemes and consolidating rural support.

Priyanka Gandhi’s Strong Start in Wayanad
In Kerala’s Wayanad bypoll, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra marked an impressive debut, leading by over 4 lakh votes. She garnered 6,22,338 votes, leaving LDF’s Sathyan Mokeri and BJP’s Navya Haridas far behind with 2,11,407 and 1,09,939 votes, respectively. The bypoll was crucial for the Congress, as the seat was previously held by Rahul Gandhi before he vacated it.

Bypoll Results Across India

The bypoll results painted a mixed picture across states.

• Uttar Pradesh: BJP won three seats and was leading in three others, while Samajwadi Party took two seats, and Rashtriya Lok Dal led in one.
• Kerala: Congress claimed the Palakkad seat, while CPI(M) won in Chelakkara.
• Bihar: NDA secured three out of four seats, with Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) taking the fourth.
• West Bengal: Trinamool Congress swept all six assembly bypolls.
• Punjab: AAP claimed three seats, with Congress taking one.
• Rajasthan: BJP bagged five seats, while the Bharat Adivasi Party took one. Congress was ahead in one seat.
• Karnataka: Congress swept all three seats—Sandur, Shiggaon, and Channapatna.
• Uttarakhand: BJP won the Kedarnath assembly seat.

The results highlighted the growing dominance of the BJP-led NDA in some states while showcasing the resilience of regional alliances in others. The victories in Maharashtra and Wayanad have energized the BJP and Congress respectively, setting the tone for future electoral battles.