The 'Pennsylvanias' That Decided Maharashtra, Jharkhand Elections

Last Updated:November 24, 2024, 09:17 IST

Whoever won Vidarbha and Marathwada, and Santhal Parganas, had the best chance to win Maharashtra and Jharkhand elections. In the end, the result in these regions proved to be decisive

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis prepares jalebi at the BJP office during celebrations after the party's win in Assembly elections, in Mumbai, on November 23, 2024. (PTI)

These were the Pennsylvanias, or election deciders, of Maharashtra and Jharkhand – whoever won these regions of Vidarbha and Marathwada, and Santhal Parganas, had the best chance to win the state. In the end, the result in these regions proved to be decisive.

The Mahayuti won 48 out of the 62 seats in the Vidarbha region, and 40 out of the 46 seats in Marathwada – notching up 88 seats from the 108 seats in these eastern regions of the state at an 80% strike rate. This was significant as the Mahayuti had won just three out of the 19 Lok Sabha seats in these two regions just six months ago – and these regions have completely flipped for the Mahayuti now.

Similarly, in Santhal Parganas region in Jharkhand, which is adjoining West Bengal, 18 seats were up for grabs. This was the tribal-dominated region where the BJP’s ‘infiltration’ campaign was the strongest as the party drummed up how infiltrators were grabbing tribal land here. But this campaign fell flat as the BJP could win just one out of the 18 seats here, with the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance sweeping the region with 17 seats, and the state as well.

“The flip in Vidarbha and Marathwada has brought us to power in Maharashtra with both the Marathas and the farmers of Vidarbha returning to our fold. But we could not get the tribal voters of Santhal Parganas in our fold and that is where the election of Jharkhand has been lost," a senior BJP leader in Delhi told News18.

In the Lok Sabha elections six months ago, JMM had won two out of three Lok Sabha constituencies in Santhal Parganas region. The BJP needed the region to flip in its favour in the assembly elections but the same did not happen.

The BJP lost five out of the six Assembly constituencies falling in the sole Lok Sabha seat that the party won in Santhal Parganas six months ago – Godda, which is held by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. He was also at the forefront of the ‘infiltration’ campaign of the party.

Possible Reasons

The popular woman scheme run by governments in both the states seems to have prevailed in the results. While women seem to have transcended caste barriers to vote for the Mahayuti in Vidarbha and Marathawada due to the ‘Ladki Behan Yojana’, the women voters in Santhal Parganas seem to have rewarded the JMM for the similar woman scheme launched by Hemant Soren a few months ago.

Also, Mahayuti’s moves to appease the cotton and soyabean farmers of Vidarbha with sops on MSP as well as a promise of a full loan waiver seems to have done the trick. The issue of ‘tribal pride’ also prevailed in Santhal Parganas, bringing the JMM alliance rich dividends.

Maharashtra | Jharkhand, India

News elections The 'Pennsylvanias' That Decided Maharashtra, Jharkhand Elections