 "The FPTP system of voting has played a big role in the BJP's seat share falling significantly, despite its vote share dipping only a bit. Image used for representative purpose/AFP")
Assembly elections will take place in Maharashtra on November 20 and on November 13 and 20 in Jharkhand, said the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The counting of votes will take place on November 23 in both the states, said the ECI.
With the announcement of the election schedule, the model code of conduct has come into effect in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
Maharashtra has 288 seats and Jharkhand has 81 seats going to polls.
The Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections come weeks after the elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir. While the BJP won in Haryana, the Congress-National Conference (NC) combine won in J&K.
In Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena-NCP ‘Mahayuti’ alliance is looking forward to retain power whereas the ‘Maha Vikas Aghadi’ bloc of Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP) is seeking a comeback. In Jharkhand, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led government of the INDIA bloc is seeking a second straight term.
Both Maharashtra and Jharkhand have seen political storms in recent years. Maharashtra witnessed a revolt led by CM Eknath Shinde that split Sena and toppled the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led government of Sena, NCP, and Congress. Jharkhand witnessed the arrest and resignation of CM Hemant Soren and resort politics as MPs were parked in a safe state over fears of poaching. Senior party leader and former CM Champai Soren also quit the JMM and joined the BJP.