"Lotus will bloom in Maharashtra, Jharkhand": UP Deputy CM Keshav Maurya

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 15 (ANI): Following the announcement of election dates for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly polls on Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya welcomed the decision of the Election Commission and said that the lotus will bloom in both states after the conclusion of the polls.
Speaking to ANI, Maurya said that he has full confidence in the Bharatiya Janata Party coming back to power in Maharashtra and also "throwing away" the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal in Jharkahand.
He further stated that the BJP will form the government in both of these states, like they did in Haryana.
"I welcome this announcement and I have full confidence that we will come back to power in Maharashtra and in Jharkhand, people throw away the governments of JMM, Congress and the RJD government... Lotus will bloom there as well. The way BJP succeeded in forming government in Haryana, BJP will form government in Maharashtra and Jharkhand as well," Maurya said.
Earlier today, the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, announced that Assembly elections in Jharkhand will be held in two phases on November 13 and November 20 and that in Maharashtra the assembly polls will take place on November 20.
Addressing the press conference here, the Chief Election Commissioner said that polling in Maharashtra will be held in a single phase on November 20.
Votes in both Maharashtra and Jharkhand will also be counted on November 23.
The term of the Jharkhand assembly will end on January 5, 2025, with elections scheduled in 81 constituencies (44 General, 9 SC, 28 ST) in the state.
Meanwhile, the key contenders in the Maharashtra elections are the ruling Mahayuti Alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition, comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress, where these parties will contest in 288 seats in the state.
The poll panel also announced dates for bye-elections in 48 assembly seats and two parliamentary constituencies. (ANI)