On November 20th, elections were held in two key North Indian states, Maharashtra and Jharkhand, with exit polls starting to trickle in as polling has concluded.

Maharashtra:
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is projected to perform strongly in Maharashtra, according to several exit polls. The prestigious Chanakya Exit Poll forecasts the Mahayuti alliance winning 150-160 seats out of the 288 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly. Meanwhile, the People Pulse Exit Poll is even more optimistic, predicting the alliance could secure 175+ seats, leaving the opposition with a much smaller share. The Matrize Agency also gives a close win to the BJP-led coalition, projecting a tally of 150-170 seats. These projections suggest that the BJP-led Mahayuti is likely to retain power, with the Shiv Sena and NCP maintaining their positions in the opposition for another term.

Jharkhand:
In Jharkhand, the race appears much closer. The Times Now-JVC Exit Poll predicts a narrow lead for the BJP-led NDA alliance, with an expected win of 40-44 seats, while the JMM-led INDIA alliance could secure between 30-40 seats. The Chanakya Exit Poll has a slightly more favorable outlook for the NDA, estimating it will win 45-50 seats, with the magic number being 41.

Both states appear to favor the BJP and its allies, which gives the party a sense of confidence ahead of their broader "One-Nation-One-Election" campaign. The official results will be declared on November 23rd, when the counting takes place.