Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 | What are bellwether seats?

Maharashtra goes to polls on November 20 and the results are scheduled to be declared on November 23, along with that of Jharkhand.

With the successful completion of the Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir assembly elections, the focus now shifts towards two other states - Maharashtra and Jharkhand. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the schedule for the Maharashtra assembly polls - the single-phased affair will take place on November 20, and the results will be declared on November 23, along with that of Jharkhand.

Here is taking a look at what bellwether seats mean:

1. What is a bellwether?

A bellwether is a particular event or trend that shows how a more general situation will develop.

2. What are bellwether seats?

In political terms, a bellwether seat is the constituency that acts as a trend indicator of the entire geographical location. Such seats predict the electoral mood of the state and can often predict which party or alliance will form the government.

3. What is an example of a bellweather seat?

For instance, Gujarat's Valsad Lok Sabha constituency (which was formerly known as Bulsar Lok Sabha constituency) can be a great example of a bellweather seat. From 1957 to 2019, whichever party's candidate has won this seat, that party has been in power at the Centre.

Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

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