Why is the loss in Jharkhand less discussed compared to the victory in Maharashtra?
Mumbai : The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has secured a lead on more than 200 seats in Maharashtra, making their government formation certain in the state. On the other hand, the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is leading on about 50 seats.
Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, BJP missed out on gaining power once again. Hemant Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is set to return to power. Out of 81 assembly seats, the JMM-Congress alliance has secured a lead on 50 seats, which is 9 more than the required majority of 41 seats.
While the loss in Jharkhand might be a temporary setback for BJP, the victory in Maharashtra is a major strategic and political achievement for the party. The success in Maharashtra demonstrates BJP’s strength in national politics and boosts the party’s confidence for upcoming elections.
Maharashtra is the second-largest political state after Uttar Pradesh, with the highest number of Lok Sabha (48 seats) and Assembly (288) seats. This state is important not only based on area and population but its political equations also influence national politics.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP and Shiv Sena together had performed excellently in Maharashtra. However, BJP faced a major setback in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Out of 48 Lok Sabha seats, BJP had won 23 seats in 2019, but this number decreased to 9 in 2024. This decline was attributed to coalition breakdown and strong opposition strategy.
This is why is the loss in Jharkhand less discussed compared to the victory in Maharashtra?
However, BJP has now made a spectacular comeback in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. In this assembly election, there was a direct contest between BJP and Congress on 76 seats. But the Congress alliance was limited to 50 seats. BJP weakened the opposition through its coalition strategy and grassroots work. The Mahayuti alliance (BJP, Shiv Sena-Shinde faction, and NCP-Ajit Pawar faction) gained leads on more than 200 seats.
In fact, Maharashtra Assembly has 288 seats, many of which are divided between urban and rural voters. BJP has strong influence in urban areas, while parties like Congress and NCP traditionally had strong hold in rural areas. But this time, BJP and Mahayuti have strengthened their grip in rural areas as well, increasing the challenge for the opposition.
Impact on Rajya Sabha
The historic victory of BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra will also have a significant impact on the Rajya Sabha. Rajya Sabha is the upper house of Indian Parliament, and its members are elected by elected members of state assemblies. Therefore, any party’s strength in the assembly directly affects its seats in Rajya Sabha.
Maharashtra has a total of 19 seats in Rajya Sabha. Currently, many of these seats are held by Congress, NCP (Sharad Chandra Pawar), and Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction). But now the spectacular victory of BJP-Shinde faction and Ajit Pawar faction in the assembly has changed the equation. The Mahayuti’s majority can now strengthen BJP further in Rajya Sabha.
Mumbai: Economic Capital of the Country, but Why Has Gujarat Left it Behind?
Mumbai is called the economic capital of the country. People from across the country come to Maharashtra in search of employment and better life. However, in recent years, Gujarat, especially Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, has surpassed Mumbai in industrial and economic development.
Maharashtra has now come to sixth position in terms of per capita income in India. This information was provided in Maharashtra government’s economic survey report. According to this report, Telangana leads with per capita income of Rs 3,11,649, followed by Karnataka (Rs 3,04,474) and Haryana (Rs 2,96,592).
While Maharashtra’s income has increased, other states’ income has grown faster. Therefore, Maharashtra has fallen behind. Sharad Pawar’s party NCP says that large companies are leaving Maharashtra for Gujarat, which is causing Maharashtra’s income to decrease. In 2014, Maharashtra’s income was more than Gujarat’s, but now Gujarat is leading.
Different Political Scenarios in Maharashtra and Jharkhand
The political situations in Maharashtra and Jharkhand are different. The significance of election results in both states can be viewed differently. In Maharashtra, BJP is in a strong position in power on its own. Here, BJP has a strong face as the state’s Chief Minister. Even though BJP contested the elections under Mahayuti (alliance), the election results demonstrate BJP’s individual strength.
In Jharkhand, Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) alliance has won. While the election results here are also important for Congress and JMM, it’s a very different situation compared to Maharashtra. In Jharkhand, Congress has to depend on JMM to increase its seats or strengthen its position, while in Maharashtra, BJP has achieved victory on its own.
BJP’s victory in Maharashtra has implications beyond the state in other states as well. Meanwhile, the loss in Jharkhand is limited to the state level and doesn’t have as much impact on national politics. Therefore, when we compare BJP’s loss in Jharkhand and victory in Maharashtra, it’s clear that Maharashtra’s election result is far more significant and influential.
