"BJP will emerge victorious in the bypolls held in Rajasthan": Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Rajasthan by polls

The bypolls in Rajasthan, conducted on seven seats, including Jhunjhunu, Dausa, Deoli-Uniara, Khinwsar, Chorasi, Salumbar, and Ramgarh, took place on November 20. These elections were necessitated by the deaths of two MLAs and the election of five others to the Lok Sabha.

Speaking to the media on Friday, Shekhawat said, "The double-engine government of the BJP has undertaken significant development work in the past year in Rajasthan. BJP will emerge victorious in the elections."

Of these seven seats, five were previously held by the Congress and its allies (one by the Bharat Adivasi Party), while the BJP and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) held one each.

When asked about the outcomes of the Maharashtra Assembly polls, Shekhawat added, "Mahayuti will form the government in Maharashtra, and in Jharkhand too, the BJP will emerge victorious."

In the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly, the BJP holds 114 seats, the Congress 65, the Bharat Adivasi Party three, the Bahujan Samaj Party two, Rashtriya Lok Dal one, and independents eight.

The results of the intense electoral battle in Maharashtra will be announced tomorrow, with both the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) expressing confidence in their chances. Arrangements have also been finalised for the counting of votes in the Jharkhand Assembly polls and bypolls for 48 Assembly seats and two Lok Sabha constituencies across 15 states.

Counting of votes will begin at 8 am, and trends are expected to emerge within two hours for Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

In Maharashtra, the Mahayuti coalition, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, is locked in a fierce contest with the MVA, which includes the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).

Polling for the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly was held on Wednesday, recording a turnout of 66.05%, up from nearly 61% in the 2019 elections. Leaders from both Mahayuti and MVA view the increased turnout as a sign of greater support.

Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer, S Chockalingam, praised the efforts made to enhance voter participation.

"The Election Commission of India dedicated significant focus and precision to Maharashtra this time. Each strategy was carefully conceptualised and executed. This led to a substantial increase in the voter list between the parliamentary and current elections," he said.

Efforts to make voting easier, particularly in Mumbai, were also highlighted. "We addressed previous challenges faced during the parliamentary elections, and this time, the arrangements received widespread praise," Chockalingam noted.

"So much work has been done. The Election Commission thanks all voters who turned out on polling day, ensuring history was created. We achieved a 5% increase in turnout. Nearly six lakh officers and employees worked tirelessly to ensure voters had a seamless experience," he added. (ANI)