NEW DELHI: The ruling BJP-led NDA is headed for a landslide win in Maharashtra while the ruling JMM-led INDIA bloc looks set to retain power in Jharkhand, the Election Commission of India trends showed.
In Maharashtra, the BJP-led NDA posted 205 leads for a 288-member Assembly with BJP alone at 115, Shiv Sena (Shinde) at 56 and Ajit Pawar’s NCP at 34.
In contrast, the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi was decimated with Congress at 22, Shiv Sena (UBT) at 20 and Sharad Pawar’s NCP at 11.
Together, MVA had a dismal 54 leads.
Shinde’s Shiv Sena with 56 alone has higher leads than the entire MVA put together.
In Jharkhand too, incumbent JMM-led INDIA bloc looks set to retain power with 48 leads in an Assembly of 81, where the simple majority is 41.
JMM has 28 leads against BJP’s 24 at 10.15 am. In the ruling INDIA bloc, Congress has 12 leads, RJD 6 and CPIML 2. All Jharkhand Students Union in NDA had only two leads at 10.15 am.
Early trends clearly signalled that incumbents will retain Maharashtra and Jharkhand with the electoral battle ending in a draw.
For Congress, the Maharashtra results appear to be a historic low. The party had contested only 101 seats the lowest ever.
In Jharkhand too, it was the JMM that appeared set to lead the alliance to a decisive win.