People in three states - Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh - are voting in the Assembly elections on Tuesday.

These elections are the first crucial test of popularity for major political parties after the Lok Sabha polls.

The big focus is on Maharashtra where over 7.5 crore eligible voters are electing MLAs to 288 Assembly seats. Stakes are high for the Congress that's seeking to retain power with its ally NCP for the third consecutive term.

In Gadchiroli, where the Naxals have called for a boycott to the polls, Naxalites opened fire near Kasansur in Aheri block of Gadchiroli district shortly before polling commenced on Tuesday.

In the 2004 Vidhan Sabha elections, the Congress-NCP alliance won 141 seats while the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance won 117 seats. In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections as well, the Congress-NCP alliance won 132 seats while the Sena-BJP alliance won 122 and Raj Thackeray's MNS won eight seats.

Voting will take place under tight security especially after the Naxal attack in Gadchiroli last week in which 17 policemen were killed.

The election Commission has made elaborate security arrangements to ensure peaceful voting, Around18, 000 central police forces have been deployed.

In another state that votes on Tuesday, Haryana, over 1,3 crore voters will elect MLAs to 90 seats. The Congress is seeking a second term in office in the state mainly on the development plank, and is pitted against a divided Opposition.

The Hooda government had got the assembly polls advanced by seven months hoping to cash in on its popularity as reflected in the May Lok Sabha polls when it bagged nine out of 10 seats in the state.

And for the 60-member Assembly in Arunachal Pradesh, around 7.25 lakh voters will decide the fate of 157 candidates. The ruling Congress has put up candidates in all 60 seats. And three Congress candidates including Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, have been elected unopposed.

Maharashtra heavyweights:

From Bhokar - Ashok Chavan, Congress, CM
From Yevla - Chhagan Bhujbal, NCP, Deputy CM, son of former union home minister S B Chavan
From Kalina - Kripashankar Singh, Cong, City Congress president
From Worli - Sachin Ahir, City NCP;
Shivadi Dagdu Sakpal, Shiv Sena old timer, has won twice before;
Shivadi Bala Nandgaokar, 3 time MLA with Shiv Sena, quit to join Raj Thackeray
From Baramati  - Ajit Pawar , NCP, Water Resources minister
From Guhagarh - Ramdas Kadam, Senior Sena leader, prestige seat for shiv sena
From Islampur - Jayant Patil, NCP, State Home Minister
From Palus - Kadegaon Patangrao Kadam, Cong, Revenue Minister
From Tasgaon - Kavathe Mahanka RR Patil, NCP State president


Heavyweights in Haryana:

Congress
Bhupinder Singh, Hooda CM (Kiloi-Garhi Sampla)
Ranvir Singh Mahindra, Barda, (former BCCI chief; Bansilal's son)
Kiran Chowdhary, Toshma ( Haryana minister, Shruti Choudhary's mother)
Kailaso Saini, Kurukshetra (former MP from Kurukshetra)
Savitri Jindal, Hissar (State Revenue Minister)

Haryana Janhit Congress
Kuldeep Bishnoi, Adampur (former CM Bhajanlal's son),
Jasma Devi, Nalwa ( Bhajanlal's wife)

INLD
Om Prakash Chautala, Uchana & Elnabad (Former CM)
Ajai Chautala, Dabwali (Former MP, son of Om Prakash Chautala)
Yograj singh, Panchkula (Yuvraj Singh's dad)

BJP
Krishnpal Gujjar, Tigaon (State BJP chief)
Ramvilas Sharma, Mahindergarh