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AAP AIMS FOR THE HAT-TRICK

November 23, 2024, 4:56 am

Aiming for a hattrick in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party has made its intentions clear by declaring its first list of nominees for the Assembly polls, thus sending a clear signal to its opponents that it was fully prepared to take them on. The first AAP list has mostly the names of those who joined the party and were being fielded against their former colleagues. There is a two-fold objective behind this early declaration, the first being that the AAP is conscious of the BJP’s Operation Lotus plans and thus has shielded its top leaders while giving tickets to new entrants, who have no other place to go. It is most unlikely that anyone of the nominees shall defect to any other party at this stage, and the list includes the son of former Congress strongman, Chaudhury Matin, who shall be the AAP candidate from Seelampur, a pre-dominant Muslim seat. Most political pundits had believed that the minority dominated seats would be won by the Congress since going by the voting pattern of the Parliamentary elections, the Muslims had voted for the grand old party. However, by inducting Matin’s son, the AAP is now going to be a serious challenger and could even win.

The Muslims by and large have been of the view that it was important to beat the Saffron brigade and whichever party was most suitable in achieving this objective, they would support it. Although things have changed over the past few months, the Muslim votes cannot be taken for granted by anyone, particularly the Congress whose Delhi president Devendra Yadav seems busy with his padyatras rather than focusing on the strategy. The Congress should have ensured that defections to AAP should have been prevented. It is a costly mistake which would influence the outcome, if strong remedial measures are not taken on time. The AAP has been wary of BJP’s designs, after Kailash Gehlot, a minister in the city government recently resigned from the party and joined the BJP, the following day. This kind of activity concerning other key leaders is also not ruled out, and therefore, the AAP leadership has to be extremely cautious from now onwards. The BJP has expressed surprise that the AAP list does not include the names of known leaders including Chief Minister Atishi Singh and some others. The exclusion of sure shot names has given rise to speculation that some of the top functionaries of the party could be changing their constituencies. For instance, Atishi had won by a small margin from Kalkaji in 2020 and needs to win big to send a message across the parties. Manish Sisodia, is a key player in AAP and may find the going tough in Patparganj where the BJP is quite strong. There is no such issue with Arvind Kejriwal who shall represent the New Delhi seat and is likely to sail home comfortably. However, there is a question mark over the winnability of some other leaders and the party shall have to take a view on the seats which would be most suitable for them. While the general opinion is that the AAP was in a pole position to once again form the government, notwithstanding the scams that have rocked its government and impacted its image, it is to be seen whether it can repeat its outstanding performances during the past two elections.

The AAP may lose seats and its tally could come down, particularly since the BJP is all geared up to take the AAP on in order to overcome the jinx of defeats since its victory in 1993. The Congress which had collapsed after it supported Arvind Kejriwal during his brief stint as the CM in 2013, is also hoping to bounce back and open its tally which was nil both in 2015 and 2020. In the triangular contest that is likely to take place, the AAP’s chances would be dependent on the performance of the Congress. If the Congress is not able to catch the imagination of the people, it would help AAP win easily. However, if the Congress does well, the BJP shall be the ultimate gainer. Unfortunately for the BJP, there is no clear face who can be projected for the Chief Ministership. There are many leaders, but no one is charismatic enough and who can take on the AAP challenge head on. Same is the case with the Congress which has tired functionaries seeking tickets for either themselves or their sons or daughters. The current party chief is working hard but the party may have to think clearly on whether he can be projected as the CM face. Congress treasurer Ajay Maken, is from a known political family and could have been the face. However, he is the treasurer and now has his ambitions nationally rather than in Delhi. In the BJP, it would have been a good idea to showcase Arvinder Singh Lovely, who had defected from the Congress to the Saffron Brigade during the parliamentary elections. But he is a reluctant participant in day to day activities and has been maintaining a low profile. Lovely is a Punjabi face who can click with both Hindus and Sikhs. It is a complex situation that has emerged and the contest is likely to be fought on the issue of statehood of Delhi, a demand supported by the BJP earlier and could be the main plank of the AAP. The question would be on whether the elected representatives should be subservient to those who are appointees of the central government. The elections are eagerly awaited.

Assembly Polls: Maharashtra Records 45.53% Turnout, Jharkhand at 61.47% by 3 PM

November 20, 2024, 4:35 pm

Voting in Maharashtra picked up momentum in the afternoon, with 45.53% voter turnout recorded by 3 PM in the single-phase assembly elections held on Wednesday. Among the districts, Gadchiroli, a naxal-affected area, reported the highest turnout of 62.99%. In contrast, Thane recorded the lowest at 38.94%, while Mumbai city logged 39.34%.

Other significant turnouts across Maharashtra included:

Mumbai Suburban: 40.89%
Nagpur: 44.45%
Aurangabad: 47.05%
Pune: 41.70%
Nashik: 46.86%
Satara: 49.82%
Dhule: 47.62%
Palghar: 46.82%
Ratnagiri: 50.04%
Nanded: 42.87%
Latur: 48.34%

Jharkhand Sees Higher Turnout in Second Phase

In the second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly polls, the voter turnout stood at a robust 61.47% by 3 PM. Pakur district recorded the highest turnout at 69.31%, while Dhanbad reported the lowest at 56.32%.

District-wise voter turnout in Jharkhand included:

Deoghar: 64.55%
Dumka: 64.79%
Giridih: 60.57%
Hazaribagh: 58.16%
Jamtara: 68.24%
Ramgarh: 66.02%
Ranchi: 65.84%
Sahebganj: 60.08%

As by-elections were held in other states, varying voter turnouts were reported:

Maharashtra (Nanded Parliamentary Constituency): 41.58%
Uttarakhand (Kedarnath): 47%
Kerala (Palakkad): 54.11%
Punjab:
- Gidderbaha: 65.80%
- Dera Baba Nanak: 52.20%
- Barnala: 40%
- Chabbewal: 40.25%
Uttar Pradesh:
- Meerapur: 49.06%
- Majhwan: 43.64%
- Khair: 39.86%
- Phulpur: 36.58%
- Kundarki: 50.03%
- Karhal: 44.70%
- Katehari: 49.29%
- Ghaziabad: 27.44%
- Sisamau: 40.29%

Voting Underway Across 288 Seats in Maharashtra

Polling began at 7 AM for all 288 assembly constituencies in Maharashtra and the remaining 38 seats in Jharkhand. Counting of votes for Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and by-elections will take place on November 23.

Assembly Polls: Jammu And Kashmir, Haryana Vote Counting Start

October 8, 2024, 6:19 am

The counting of votes for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana has been started at 8.00 AM. The Jammu and Kashmir assembly election, held for 90 constituencies, took place in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1. In Haryana, polling for the 90 assembly seats concluded on October 5.

The counting of votes in Haryana will also commence at 8 a.m., with postal ballots being counted first, followed by EVM counting 30 minutes later. Haryana’s Chief Electoral Officer, Pankaj Agarwal, stated that 93 counting centres have been established across 22 districts for the 90 assembly constituencies. “Two counting centres each have been set up for the Badshahpur, Gurugram, and Pataudi assembly constituencies, while one counting centre has been established for the remaining 87 assembly constituencies, where the counting will take place,” Agarwal explained. To oversee the process, the Election Commission has appointed 90 counting observers.

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Comprehensive security measures have been implemented for the counting. A total of 30 companies of Central Armed Police Forces have been deployed at the 93 centres, which are under a three-tier security system. The innermost layer is guarded by central security forces, followed by state-armed police, with district police personnel in the outermost cover. Around 12,000 police officers are on duty at the centres across the state. “Adequate checkpoints have been set up within a 100-meter perimeter of each counting centre,” Agarwal added, noting that CCTV cameras have been installed in all 90 strong rooms housing the EVMs to monitor activities closely.

A meeting was held to review the counting preparations, where Deputy Commissioners and District Election Officers were briefed on ensuring a smooth process on October 8. “Accurate information on each round of counting will be uploaded in a timely manner,” the official release mentioned.

In Jammu, security has been heightened at a counting centre ahead of the vote count. On counting day, the strong rooms will be opened in the presence of candidates, their representatives, Returning Officers (ROs)/Assistant Returning Officers (AROs), and Election Commission observers. Videography will document the process. Mobile phones are prohibited inside the counting centres, and only authorized personnel and officials are permitted in or around the centres. The public and political representatives have been urged not to gather at the counting centres and to check the results at home, which will be available on the Election Commission of India’s website and the Voter Helpline App. Media centres have also been set up to provide the press with the latest updates, and social media will be monitored to prevent the spread of any rumors.

In Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Electoral Officer PK Pole confirmed that CCTV cameras have been installed in each counting hall to maintain records. “Counting will begin at 7:30 a.m. for postal ballots and 8 a.m. for EVMs. Polls were held peacefully, and no candidate or political party faced any kind of difficulty. Violence-free public participation was witnessed,” Pole told ANI.

“Postal ballots will be counted first, after which EVM counting will begin. In every district headquarters, counting centres have been set up. Counting of territorial polling stations will be done in 25 locations and counting of migrant polling stations will be done in 3 locations. All arrangements have been made. Candidates have also given information about their counting agents. EVMs are kept in a triple layer security. The outermost layer consists of police, the middle layer is guarded by the CAPF, and the inner layer consists of a dedicated section which mans the counting centre round the clock,” Pole added.

Exit polls have suggested that Congress is expected to win Haryana, while the National Conference-Congress alliance holds an advantage in Jammu and Kashmir. The election results are likely to reflect the political mood as parties prepare for upcoming contests in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

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National Impact of Assembly Polls

October 2, 2024, 3:09 am

The Congress seems to have the edge in the Haryana assembly polls and is going all out to capitalise on it. This is one reason why Rahul Gandhi launched his Vijay Sankalp yatra in the last four days of campaigning. The fact that he began it from the sitting CM’s stronghold is in itself an indication as to how confident he is about a win. In fact the Congress is so confident of the state turning in its favour, that it is going out of its way to make this a Rahul vs Modi narrative by focusing on national issues and not just the local ones.
Having said this, the road ahead does have its potholes. The INLD could play a spoiler and take away some of Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s Jat votes. But the damage would be only visible in case the fight between the BJP and the Congress comes down to a narrow margin, which given the current indicators doesn’t seem very likely.
Another factor that could have hurt the Congress is the infighting for Kumari Selja did not hide her displeasure at the way the tickets were distributed. So much so that the BJP’s ML Khattar, former CM and current Cabinet minister, even sent her an invite to cross over. Infighting and arrogance is what cost the Congress the state of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan; and this time round the party did not waste time in containing the damage. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge himself reached out to both Selja and Bhupinder Hooda and ensured that the duo shared a dais together soon after.

The BJP for its part has deployed all its big guns from the PM to Amit Shah to Yogi Adiyanath, Hemanta Biswa Sarma and Rajnath Singh. The BJP campaign is focussing on local issues, but unfortunately its Agniveer scheme has not gone down well with the voter on ground. That and the jobs crunch, as well as a ten year anti incumbency is being played up by the Congress.

While Hooda appeals to the 25 % Jat vote there is a 22 % Dailit voteshare in the state as well, hence both need to be accomodated. While the Congress is claiming that it has not decided its CM candidate, the optics are all in favour of Bhupinder Singh Hooda who has worked hard on the ground to retain his mass appeal. He is the tallest leader in the state today and it would be unfortunate if the Congress HIgh Command feels threatened by his popularity and goes in for a compromise candidate instead. In fact the Congress would do well to look at the BJP which is paying a price for taking on Vasundhara Raje Scindia in Rajasthan and ignoring her claims for a proxy of the centre.
The BJP for its part has deployed all its big guns from the PM to Amit Shah to Yogi Adiyanath, Hemanta Biswa Sarma and Rajnath Singh. The BJP campaign is focussing on local issues, but unfortunately its Agniveer scheme has not gone down well with the voter on ground. That and the jobs crunch, as well as a ten year anti incumbency is being played up by the Congress.
The elections in Jammu & Kashmir are a little more difficult to predict as there are a lot of unknown variables, in the form of independent candidates and newly formed parties contesting their first election. The NC-Congress combine did have the lead in the beginning of the polls but now their campaign looks a bit uncertain. While the NC is facing local outfits in the Valley the Congress did not launch a very convincing campaign in Jammu where it is taking on the BJP. The BJP seems also to have managed its ticket distribution better than the Congress.
These are the first set of polls post the Lok Sabha and it would be interesting to see if the trend we saw in June holds or if the BJP manages to make some sort of a comeback. Losing Haryana but ensuring that the INDIA group does not win J&K will give BJP leaders some solace. But as far as the Congress is concerned, wresting Haryana from the BJP after ten years (even if it doesnt notch a convincing win in J&K) will lend enough credibility to its narrative of a party on the comeback trail.

MPs not permitted to contest, says Haryana Congress incharge Babaria on many sitting MPs seeking tickets in assembly polls

August 28, 2024, 4:30 pm

Even as Congress is doing brainstorming session to finalise the candidates for Haryana assembly polls and many of the party MPs trying to get a ticket, state in-charge Deepak Babaria on Wednesday said that none of the sitting MPs will be allowed to contest in the state polls.

The comments were made by Babaria after the meeting of the Screening Committee here, which was attended by Screening Committee members Ajay Maken, Manickam Tagore, Srinivas BV, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, stare unit chief Uday Bhan and others.

While responding to the question of the ITV Network that many of the sitting MPs including Kumari Selja, Randeep Singh Surjewala are seeking tickets, Babaria said, “Kisi ko bho ijajat nahi do jayegi (no one will be permitted).”

The remarks put many of the Congress MPs out of the race in assembly elections.

Babaria, then later said that if there is an urgent need then he or she needs to seek permission from party president Mallikarjin Kharge.

This statemwnt leaves Selja, Surjewala and Deepender Hooda in the lurch as they will be asked to focus on campaign than contest themeselves.

Babaria then said that Screening Committee members met and discussed 15 seats and list will be out in a couple days

He said that by Saturday, the party will prepare the final list of candidates.

Babaria further said that they are discussing the requests as it the party has got more than 2,000 requests from aspiring candidates.

He said as we have rece9ved more than 2,000 requests we are discussing it and then we will put it before the Chairman of the Screening Committee.

Babaria also said that the tickets ofnthe seating MLAs will be cut if there is anti-incumbency against them.

The polling for the 90 member Haryana assembly is scheduled on October 1 and counting of votes will take place on October 4. The Congress is aiming to make a come back in the state, where it has been out of the power since 2014.

Earlier in the day, Deepender Hooda also met the members of the Screening Committee. He also took a pot shot at the state government over the issuesof unemployment, inflation, women safety ad conditions of farmers in the state.

Deepender also slammed the JJP and Chadrasekhar Azad Ravan party’s alliance in the state and said, “The JJP and the INLD have been exposed in Haryana in last 10 years as they have only worked to split the votes of people to help the BJP. They are intact team B of the BJP. But now people have realised that they will only split votes thus they are not trusting them anymore.”

He also said that the Congress will form a government in the state with full majority.

Assembly Polls: 279 Candidates File Nomination Papers for Phase-1 of J&K

August 27, 2024, 10:04 pm

A total of 279 candidates have filed their nomination papers across 24 Assembly Constituencies (ACs) in seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir for the first phase of the Assembly elections, scheduled for September 18, 2024.

Tuesday marked the final day for filing nominations for this phase of the election. According to a statement from the Chief Electoral Officer’s office, the highest number of nominations came from Anantnag district, where 72 candidates submitted their papers. Pulwama district followed with 55 nominations, while Doda district saw 41 candidates entering the fray. Kishtwar district recorded 32 nominations, with 28 each in Shopian and Kulgam districts, and 23 in Ramban district.

In Kishtwar district, 13 candidates filed nominations from 48-Inderwal AC, 11 from 49-Kishtwar AC, and 8 from 50-Padder-Nagseni AC. Doda district’s 51-Bhadarwah and 52-Doda ACs each had 16 candidates, while 9 candidates filed for 53-Doda West AC. Ramban district saw 13 candidates from 54-Ramban AC and 10 from 55-Banihal AC.

In Pulwama district, 16 candidates filed for 32-Pampore AC, 13 for 33-Tral AC, 14 for 34-Pulwama AC, and 12 for 35-Rajpora AC. Shopian district recorded 15 candidates for 36-Zainapora AC and 13 for 37-Shopian AC. Kulgam district saw 6 candidates for 38-DH Pora AC, and 11 each for 39-Kulgam AC and 40-Devsar AC.

Anantnag district saw a diverse number of candidates with 12 filing for 41-Dooru AC, 11 for 42-Kokernag (ST) AC, 14 for 43-Anantnag West AC, 13 for 44-Anantnag AC, 3 for 45-Srigufwara-Bijbehara AC, 13 for 46-Shangus-Anantnag East AC, and 6 for 47-Pahalgam AC.

This election phase will witness over 23.27 lakh eligible voters, including 11.76 lakh male voters, 11.51 lakh female voters, and 60 third-gender electors. Among them, 5.66 lakh are youth voters who will cast their ballots in this significant electoral exercise.

The notification for Phase 1 was issued on August 20, 2024, and the nomination papers will undergo scrutiny by the respective Returning Officers on August 28, 2024. Candidates wishing to withdraw their nominations must do so by August 30, 2024, before 3:00 PM, after which the final list of validly nominated candidates will be confirmed for the electoral contest.

BJP Announces Candidates For 29 Seats In Jammu & Kashmir

August 27, 2024, 9:51 pm

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has revealed its list of candidates for 29 seats in the upcoming
Legislative Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The party’s announcement includes a range of candidates for constituencies across the union territory.

Ashok Bhat will contest from the Habba Kadal seat, while Mohammad Akram Chaudhary is
set to represent the party from Gulabgarh. Thakur Randhir Singh has been nominated for
Kalakote-Rajouri, and Chowdhary Zulfikar Ali will contest from Budhal. Mohd. Iqbal Malik is
slated for Thannamandi, and Syed Mushtaq Ahmad Bukhari will run from Surankote.

In Poonch Haveli, Chowdhary Abdul Gani will contest, with Murtaza Khan running from
Mendhar. Pawan Gupta is announced for Udhampur West, while Balwant Singh Mankotia
will represent Chenani. Sunil Bhardwaj has been nominated for Ramnagar, and Jeevan Lal
will contest from Bani.

Satish Sharma will run from Bilawar, and Darshan Singh will contest from Basohli. Rajiv
Jasrotia is set for Jasrota, and Adv. Vijay Kumar Sharma will represent Hiranagar. Dr
Devinder Kumar Maniyal is nominated for Ramgarh, with Surjit Singh Slathia contesting from Samba.

Chandra Prakash Ganga will run from Vijaypur, and Gharu Ram Bhagat has been
nominated for Suchetgarh. Dr Narinder Singh Raina will contest from R.S. Pura-Jammu
South, while Yudhvir Sethi is set for Jammu East.

From Nagrota, Devinder Singh Rana has been nominated, and Arvind Gupta will contest
from Jammu West. Sham Lal Sharma is set for Jammu North, Mohan Lal Bhagat for
Akhnoor, and Rajeev Sharma for Chhamb.

This diverse list of candidates underscores BJP’s strategic approach as it gears up for the
Assembly elections, aiming to consolidate support across various constituencies in Jammu
and Kashmir.

Omar Abdullah Criticises BJP For Rapid Withdrawal Of Candidate List

August 27, 2024, 3:17 pm

Following reports that the BJP withdrew its candidate list for the Jammu and Kashmir elections, JKNC Vice President Omar Abdullah commented on Monday that it was the first time he had seen BJP retract its list just 10 minutes after its release. He advised the party to concentrate on organising its own affairs.

“The BJP should focus on setting its house in order. For the first time, I saw that the BJP deleted its list within 10 minutes of releasing it. Today, chairs were broken in their offices,” Abdullah said.

BJP previously released a second list of candidates for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir elections, naming Choudhary Roshan Hussain Gujjar for the Konkernag seat.

Initially, the party announced a list of 44 candidates for all three phases of the Assembly polls but later withdrew it. The revised list, issued a few hours later, included only 15 candidates for the first phase. BJP has nominated Syed Showkat Gayoor Andrabi for Pampore, Arshid Bhat for Rajpora, Javed Ahmad Qadri for Shopian, Mohd. Rafiq Wani for Anantnag West, Syed Wazahat for Anantnag, and Veer Saraf for Shangus-Anantnag East. Sofi Yousuf will contest from Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Tariq Keen from Inderwal, and Salim Bhat from Banihal. Shagun Parihar is the only woman candidate on the list, running from Kishtwar. The party has also fielded Sunil Sharma for Padder-Nagseni, Daleep Singh Parihar for Bhadarwah, Gajay Singh Rana for Doda, Shakti Raj Parihar for Doda West, and Rakesh Thakur for Ramban.

Jammu and Kashmir is set for multi-cornered contests in most constituencies. This will be the first Assembly election since the abrogation of Article 370. Polling will take place in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, with vote counting scheduled for October 4. The state has 90 Assembly constituencies, including seven reserved for SCs and nine for STs.

National Conference Announces List Of 18 Candidates For J&K Assembly Polls

August 27, 2024, 1:39 pm

After finalising its seat-sharing agreement with Congress, the National Conference (NC) on Monday released a list of 18 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections. The party announced on social media that party president Farooq Abdullah had approved these nominations.

Notable candidates include retired Justice Hussnain Masoodi from Pampore, Mohammad Khalil Bandh from Pulwama, Sheikh Mohammad Rafi from Shopian, Gh Mohi-Ud-Din Mir from Rajpora, and Khalid Najeeb Soharwardy from Doda. Other key nominees include Showkat Hussain Ganie for Zainpora, former minister Sakina Ittoo for DH Pora, Peerzada Feroze Ahmad for Devsar, Chowdary Zaffer Ahmad for Larnoo, Abdul Majeed Larmi for Anantnag West, Dr Bashir Ahmad Veeri for Bijbehara, Reyaz Ahmad Khan for Anantnag East, Altaf Ahmad Kaloo for Pahalgam, Mehboob Iqbal for Bhaderwah, Arjun Singh Raju for Ramban, Sajad Shaheen for Banihal, Sajad Kichloo for Kishtwar, and Pooja Thokur for Pader-Nagsani.

Earlier on Monday, it was announced that as per the seat-sharing agreement between the National Conference and Congress for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, the National Conference will contest 51 out of 90 seats, while Congress will contest 32. The two parties will also engage in a “friendly contest” in five constituencies. Additionally, one seat each has been allocated to CPI(M) and the Panthers Party.

Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra, while making the announcement, said that the two parties had reached the seat-sharing agreement by understanding the “sensitivities of each other.”

He mentioned that some seats were challenging and that they would have a “friendly contest in a disciplined manner.”

The seat-sharing agreement was announced one day before the deadline for filing nominations for the first phase of elections on September 18, which will cover 24 seats.

“National Conference will contest on 51 seats, Congress on 32 and we have agreed to have a friendly but disciplined contest on 5 seats. Over and above these 88 seats, we have left 1 seat for CPI (M) and 1 seat for Panthers Party,” Karra said at a press conference.

Polling in Jammu and Kashmir will take place in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for October 4. Elections will be held across 90 Assembly constituencies in the region. According to the Election Commission, there are 88.06 lakh registered voters in the union territory.

Ahead Of Assembly Polls, Posters Come Up In Gurugram, Karnal Targeting BJP

August 21, 2024, 1:40 am

With the assembly elections inching closer, posters have surfaced in various places in Gurugram and Karnal districts sarcastically targeting the BJP’s ‘Non Stop Haryana’ campaign.

The wall posters display slogans such as “Non Stop Haryana in Unemployment” and “Non Stop Haryana in Atrocities Against Women,” among others. These posters have appeared in Jatan Mohalla, Red Cross Market, and Vikas Sadan areas in Karnal, as well as Sector 43, Sector 44, and Kheri areas of Gurugram.

The anonymously poster messages highlight the failures of the BJP’s 10-year government and the growing public dissent. The posters’ design also closely mimics that of the BJP’s campaign. Meanwhile, the Congrsss has already launched the Haryana Maange Hisab campaign in the state led hy party leader Deepender Singh Hooda.

The election commission has announced the polling in Haryana on October 1 and counting of votes will take place on October 4. The Congress is eyeing to make a comeback in the state, where it has been out of power for last 10 years. The Congress on Monday also held the meeting of the Screening Committee members with parry chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi at party headquarters.

According to senior leaders of the party, the grand old party will be soon holding the CEC meeting to finalise the candidates for the assembly polls.

Haryana gears up for October assembly polls: BJP, Cong, and alliances in fierce battle

August 19, 2024, 6:31 am

INLD and BSP have announced to contest elections in an alliance in Haryana while BJP and HLP are believed to come up together following the announcement of CM Nayab Singh Saini.

WIth the assembly polls to be held in Haryana on October 4 as per the instructions of the Election Commission of India (ECI), all the political parties gearing up prove their mettle as well as to win the elections. It is clearly visible from the current political scenario of the state that a small state like Haryana with just 90 assembly seats is most likely to witness a neck to neck fight between the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and the main opposition Congress party. Apart from Congress, other opposition parties including Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Indian National Lok Dal and its arch rival, Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), the former partner of the saffron BJP, are on toes in a bid to return power in some form or to be the kingmaker. In this context, political experts believe that in order to come to power, political parties will have no issues in bringing their differences to an end and joining hands with arch political rivals . Till now, BJP and Congress have not openly joined hands with anyone, while two marginalized political parties have already been officially confirmed to contest the elections in alliance in Haryana.

With declining status and electoral support, the INLD and BSP have announced an alliance, with leaders of the two parties agreeing to project INLD sole MLA Abhay Singh Chautala as the alliance’s chief ministerial face for the Haryana assembly elections scheduled in October this year. As per the alliance, the INLD will contest 53 seats while BSP to 37 seats in the 90-member Haryana Assembly. It is pertinent to mention that the BSP and INLD have formed an electoral alliance in Haryana. In April 2018, both parties had formed an electoral alliance, but it could not continue after the INLD candidate’s poor performance in the Jind assembly elections in January 2019. Prior to this, in the 1998 Lok Sabha elections, the INLD and BSP had contested 7 and 3 seats under alliance respectively. Even in the recent Lok Sabha elections, both INLD and BSP had fielded their candidates but these polls proved a nightmare for both as none of the party candidates could save their fixed deposits. INLD and BSP secured only 1.74 per cent and 1.28 per cent votes respectively , while the deposit was forfeited on all the seats. INLD fielded candidates on 7 seats while BSP on 9 Lok Sabha seats out of 10 parliamentary constituencies. While contrary to the Lok Sabha polls, the INLD and BSP leaders are having high hopes from the forthcoming polls to be fought in alliance.

In Haryana, Congress contested the last Lok Sabha elections in alliance with AAP but after this the party made it clear that it will go solo in the assembly elections. In this row, AAP is also continuously claiming that it is capable of fighting elections and forming a government on its own in Haryana, although the current situation of the party clearly depicts that in Haryana, surviving the forthcoming polls will be a litmus test for AAP. Keeping in the results of the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress was continuously refusing to form an alliance, but as per the instructions of the Congress high command, the state Congress unit in Haryana had to accept the decision of the party high command. AAP which was given a single one seat in Lok Sabha polls under alliance could not survive the polls. In continuation to aforesaid, it is noteworthy that outrightly rejecting any possibility of alliance with the JJP, the Haryana AAP state president Dr Sushil Gupta said that ‘’ How is possible to form an alliance with a party responsible for the worsened position of the farmers in the state being a partner in the state government for a period of around four and half year’’.

Amid this, recently Haryana Lokhit Party (Halopa) has decided to field Gobind Kanda’s son Dhawal Kanda from Rania assembly seat where the BJP stalwart Ranjeet Singh Chautala who faced the debalcle from Hisar Lok Sabha seat, successfully contested the assembly polls from. Unlike 2014 assembly polls, the saffron BJP fell short of majority in 2109, the then Chief Minister Manohar Lal made him a cabinet minister after Ranjeet Singh extended support to the party in 2019 . It is pertinent to mention that before the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Ranjit Chautala joined BJP and resigned from the Rania seat. After Halopa fielding a candidate from Rania, the question has arisen that the siege of Ranjit Chautala has started, because a few days ago CM Naib Saini had said that BJP and Halopa will contest the elections together in the state. Following his defeat in Lok Sabha polls, Ranjit Chautala, a cabinet minister in the Naib Saini government, has refrained himself from BJP’s programs for the last few days. Now it remains to be seen what equations are formed on the Rania seat. In the 2019 assembly elections, Chautala defeated Gopal Kanda’s brother Gobind Kanda by a margin of 19 thousand votes.

In continuation to aforesaid, it is pertinent to mention that with the declaration of the early assembly polls, all are eyeing the speculations as well as the possibility of the alliance between Samajwadi party and Congress in Haryana under INDI alliance on the lines of UP. Samajwadi Party which succeeded in winning a maximum 37 seats in Lok Sabha polls in UP , is demanding at least five seats , Gurugram, Mahendragarh and Rewari districts under the INDI alliance in Haryana adding to the woes of the Congress.Samajwadi Party has been staking claim on give seats saying only those seats from Congress where it will contest only those seat continuously being lost by the Congress in Haryana.\The current political environment clearly shows that Congress is in no mood to give a share of seats to Samajwadi Party. Leader of Opposition Bhupendra Singh Hooda says that till now there is no discussion about alliance with Samajwadi Party for the assembly elections in Haryana. If there is any progress in this direction in the coming days, it will be at the level of the central leadership of Congress. Political experts believe that the way Congress had to compromise with Aam Aadmi Party in Haryana due to the decision of the party high command before the parliamentary polls and it is believed that on the lines of Lok Sabha elections, it may have to compromise with Samajwadi Party in the Haryana assembly elections.

J-K Assembly Polls: BJP Rules Out Alliance with Any Political Party, BJP President

August 18, 2024, 3:37 pm

Jammu and Kashmir BJP President Ravinder Raina announced on Sunday that the party will not enter into any alliance with any political party for the upcoming Assembly elections in the Union Territory. The elections are scheduled to take place in three phases starting from September 18. However, he did mention that the BJP may collaborate with independent candidates for 8-10 seats in the Kashmir region.

“We will not form any alliance with any political party,” Raina emphasized, adding that the BJP will contest the elections with full strength and expects significant support from the public. “The BJP will form the government on its own in Jammu and Kashmir,” he asserted.

When questioned about former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s remarks on Article 370, Raina responded, “He knows his government is not going to be formed here, which is why he’s making such statements.”

Raina also welcomed former J&K Minister Chowdhary Zulfikar Ali into the BJP, stating, “He is a prominent political leader in J&K. His joining will further strengthen the party.”

The Election Commission has scheduled polling for September 18, 25, and October 1, with vote counting set for October 4. These will be the first Assembly elections in the region since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

The UT has a total of 90 Assembly constituencies, including 74 general, nine ST, and seven SC seats. Out of the 87.09 lakh registered voters, there are 44.46 lakh male voters, 42.62 lakh female voters, and 169 transgender voters.

These elections mark the first since the last Assembly election in 2014. The previous PDP-BJP coalition government collapsed in June 2018 when the BJP withdrew support from then-Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. The Supreme Court had earlier directed the Centre to complete the election process by September 30, 2024.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kashmir in March, where he announced development packages aimed at boosting agriculture and tourism, has added to the political momentum. The Election Commission has instructed enforcement agencies to ensure impartiality and transparency for smooth and fair polling.

ECI delegation arrives in J-K to review poll-preparedness

August 8, 2024, 3:31 pm

A delegation of the Election Commission of India (ECI) led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar reached Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar on Thursday to review poll preparedness ahead of the upcoming assembly polls in the Union Territory.

Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were part of the delegation apart from CEC Rajiv Kumar in the review visit.

As part of the review process, the ECI delegation will meet with the various stakeholders including officials and leaders of different political parties in the UT.

On June 21, the ECI initiated the preparations for forthcoming State Assembly Elections in the States of Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand with the updation of the electoral rolls in these states w.r.t. July 1, 2024, as the qualifying date.

An ECI release earlier mentioned that the term of the existing Legislative Assemblies in the three states are going to end on November 3 and 26 and January 5, 2025, respectively and elections to these Legislative Assemblies are required to be conducted before the completion of their terms.

As per the release, the ECI directed for the updation of the electoral rolls in J-K witnessing the huge participation of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the recently concluded Lok Sabha Elections.

CEC Rajiv Kumar in an earlier press conference remarked that “the story of huge participation in Lok Sabha elections by people of J&K is very hopeful and inspiring, showing how eager people are to participate in democracy. People must stay peaceful and united, fulfilling their aspirations and deciding their future and governance. The Commission is excited and gratified to help make this happen and will soon start the Assembly election process in J&K.”

Meanwhile, J&K BJP Chief Spokesperson Sunil Sethi said, “We want the Assembly elections should be held at the earliest. BJP is prepared for the elections. We have certain concerns regarding security and phasing of the elections.”

J&K BJP leader Rafiq Wani said, “BJP is completely ready for elections. We are hopeful that like Lok Sabha elections people will take part in Assembly elections also.”

“Upcoming Jharkhand Assembly Elections will be Meeting Agenda”: Cong State Chief

August 7, 2024, 12:34 pm

Ahead of the Jharkhand Congress leaders meeting in Delhi on Wednesday, state party chief Rajesh Thakur said that the agenda of the meeting will be the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections, adding that 20 senior leaders of the party will attend the meeting.
“The meeting has a clear agenda, the upcoming 2024 elections, how the party will get into it, and how the party will put forward their opinions in the alliance. How the alliance will strongly contest the elections. With what strategy will we get it into the elections? 20 senior leaders have been called to Delhi to attend the meeting,” Rajesh Thakur told ANI.
Jharkhand Minister and Congress leader Rameshwar Oraon said that in alliance, the party will fight the Jharkhand Assembly polls.
“The discussion will be regarding the upcoming (Jharkhand) election. The situation here is very good, our alliance partners are one. All three parties will fight together, there will be an alliance. This time, the results will be better than last time,” Oraon said.
The assembly elections in Jharkhand will likely be held in 2024. Along with Jharkhand, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jammu and Kashmir will also undergo assembly polls.
Earlier on July 4, after securing bail from the Jharkhand High Court, Hemant Soren was sworn in again as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand. Soren had spent nearly 5 months in jail after being arrested in an alleged land scam case. Before his arrest, he had stepped down as CM and Champai Soren was sworn in as CM.
The term of the existing Jharkhand Legislative Assembly will end in January 2025 and the Election Commission (EC) has kicked off preparations for holding assembly elections.
In 2019, JMM fought the assembly elections in alliance with the Congress and Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) and got a comfortable majority with forty-seven seats in the 81-member house.

Rao Inderjit’s discontent with BJP amid Haryana Assembly Polls

July 18, 2024, 10:23 pm

Despite facing setbacks on five parliamentary seats at the hands of the main opposition Congress party, the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has suffered a series of blows, including widened rifts between party stalwarts accusing each other of electoral defeat, withdrawal of support by three independent legislators, and the anti-incumbency factor due to its ten-year rule. Notably, the Congress has been a divided house in the state for a long time, and several BJP heavyweights now seem embroiled in a battle of dominance following the party’s defeat.

After losing the elections, many party candidates accused other leaders within the BJP of working against them and aiding candidates from other parties. Rao Inderjit, a veteran leader with significant influence in southern Haryana, has been continuously criticising his party, claiming he is being ignored. He has publicly raised questions about the BJP state leadership, asserting that he is not given the necessary attention as per his stature.

Rao Inderjit, after quitting Congress, became an MP on a BJP ticket for the third consecutive time and was given the post of Union Minister of State each time, but he and his supporters are pressuring the government. They argue that despite Rao’s influence over more than a dozen seats, he is only a Minister of State while younger and first-time MPs are made full-fledged cabinet ministers, which is disappointing. Political experts believe this tension is exacerbated by his strained relationship with Manohar Lal, who has a significant portfolio in Energy, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and was previously the CM of Haryana.

The BJP is continuously organizing rallies in southern Haryana to galvanize support. Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a rally in South Haryana a few months ago, and Home Minister Amit Shah recently participated in another rally for the BC community. Rao Inderjit has widespread acceptability over a dozen seats in Southern Haryana, and the BJP is leveraging his stronghold to win as many seats as possible. These seats include Rewari, Bawal, Kosli, Mahendragarh, Narnaul, Nangal Chaudhary, Gurugram, Sohna, Badshahpur, Pataudi, Nuh, Ferozepur Jhirka, and Punhana. Concurrently, Haryana Congress has also increased its activities in South Haryana to strengthen its position. The BJP is making every effort to win as many seats as possible in the Ahirwal belt, acknowledging Rao Indrajit’s electoral support there.

The formation of the new cabinet in March 2024 saw Rao Indrajit’s opponents gain cabinet positions, while one of his supporters, former minister OP Yadav, was denied a berth, a significant blow to Rao. Furthermore, his arch-rival Abhay Singh Yadav was given a cabinet berth, indicating the party’s intention to prevent Rao from having unilateral control in South Haryana. BJP wanted to make Abhay Singh Yadav a minister earlier, but due to Rao’s disagreement, it did not happen. Although PM Narendra Modi recently referred to Rao as his friend at a program in Gurugram and the BJP fielded him from the Gurugram seat for the third time, Rao’s discontent persists.

Rao Inderjit has consistently claimed the Chief Minister’s post, stating that the path to power in Haryana goes through southern Haryana. However, Amit Shah recently made it clear that the next election would be fought under the leadership of CM Nayab Singh Saini, ending Rao’s immediate ambitions. Moreover, Rao is also disgruntled over the BJP not giving an assembly ticket to his daughter Aarti Rao in the last two consecutive elections. He has insisted that Aarti will contest the upcoming election no matter what.

Bhupendra Yadav, from Gurugram district, was made a minister in the central government with a higher-ranking ministry than Rao. Last year, Rao’s rival Dr. Sudha Yadav was included in the parliamentary board. Recently, Nayab Saini, the new state president, has favoured mostly anti-Rao leaders in his new team. Former Haryana deputy speaker Santosh Yadav and GL Sharma were made state vice-presidents, while another opponent, former minister Rao Narbir Singh, was adjusted in the organization and made the Lok Sabha election in-charge. Randhir Singh Kapriwas was the only leader yet to be adjusted, but Nayab Saini’s visit to Kapriwas’s house at midnight indicates impending changes.

As the assembly polls approach, Rao Inderjit’s faction continues to exert pressure on the BJP, asserting their influence over more than a dozen seats in southern Haryana. The BJP’s ability to manage these internal challenges will be crucial in the upcoming elections.

Eknath Shinde Ahead Of Assembly Polls : ‘Opposition Should Not Get Chance To Spread Fake Narratives’

July 6, 2024, 10:22 pm

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde urged the Mahayuti government to collaborate effectively in preparation for the upcoming Assembly elections, aiming to prevent the opposition from spreading false narratives. He made these remarks during a meeting of state-level grand alliance officebearers focused on government plans and implementation.

“We have to work together for upcoming elections as Mahayuti because this government is only for people. We have to work and not give a single chance to them (opposition) to spread any fake narratives,” Shinde emphasized.

The Mahayuti alliance includes the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Criticizing Uddhav Thackeray during his Facebook live session, Shinde stated, “We work face to face and not work from home. I want to say this to all our workers, that give answers to their (Opposition) fake narratives. Tell the public about our schemes and advantages. Tell them that this budget scheme will benefit them, it was not only for elections, it will continue after elections too.”

The Maharashtra Assembly elections, scheduled for this year, will elect 288 members of the state’s legislative assembly. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won nine seats, the Shiv Sena secured seven, and the NCP managed to win one seat in Maharashtra.

In the recent Lok Sabha polls, the BJP-led NDA secured 293 seats, while the INDIA bloc, including Congress, won 230 seats. The BJP did not achieve a majority on its own, bagging 240 seats, while Congress improved significantly, winning 99 seats.

Chhattisgarh Gears Up for Vote Counting: Security Tight, Officials Ready

December 2, 2023, 5:51 pm

Chief Electoral Officer Reena Baba Saheb Kangale announced the completion of all arrangements for the vote counting process in Chhattisgarh. In a press conference held in Raipur today, Kangale confirmed the readiness of 90 assembly constituencies for the upcoming assembly elections’ vote counting scheduled for Sunday.

Kangale disclosed the deployment of a significant workforce, stating that 90 returning officers, 416 assistant returning officers, 4596 counting personnel, and 1698 microobservers have been appointed for the meticulous vote tallying process. Furthermore, 90 counting observers, appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI), will oversee the counting procedures across the state’s constituencies.

Elaborating on the security measures, Kangale highlighted the stringent protocols set in place. Each counting hall will feature segregated entrances for candidates, counting agents, and election officials. Identity cards have been issued to candidates and their electoral agents, with strict restrictions on mobile phones within the counting halls. The officer stressed the prohibition of electronic devices, pan masala, and cigarettes inside these premises.

Security arrangements have been layered into a three-tier system, ensuring thorough checks at each level of entry. The entire counting process will be filmed to ensure transparency and monitor the proceedings.

The counting procedure will commence at 8 a.m., starting first with the counting of postal ballots, followed by EVM counting after a 30-minute interval. Each assembly constituency will host vote counting on 14 tables, except for six assembly seats, including Pandariya, Kakyon, Sargarh, Milaiger, Kasdol, and Mastapur-Sonhat, which will employ 21 tables for the same process.

Chhattisgarh witnessed elections in two phases on November 7 and 17, and the vote counting is anticipated to proceed smoothly with stringent security measures and an ample workforce ready to ensure a fair and efficient process.

Assembly polls: JP Nadda to visit Rajasthan today, to offer BJP workers the “Mantra” of victory

October 16, 2023, 9:19 am

JP Nadda, the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is scheduled to arrive in Rajasthan on Monday to engage with party members ahead of the state assembly elections. Party leaders have stated that Nadda will visit Udaipur during his visit and hold two sessions of meetings at Hotel Howard Johnson for the Udaipur region. Party workers and office bearers from Pratapgarh, Chittorgarh, and Udaipur city will be present at the meetings. At 1:00 pm, JP Nadda will meet with party office bearers from Banswara, Rajsamand, and Dungarpur.

After concluding the Udaipur region meetings, Nadda will travel to Jodhpur around 4 p.m., where he is to conduct meetings with officials from the Jodhpur region in two sessions at Hotel Kasturi Orchid.
The first session will involve officials from Jalore, Pali, and Sirohi districts. During this, he will also address a gathering of conscientious citizens.
Afterwards, he will strategize with officials from the northern and southern parts of Jodhpur city, as well as officials from Barmer, Balarotra, and Jaisalmer districts.
Around 10 p.m. today, the BJP president will depart from Rajasthan’s Jaipur airport.
Meanwhile, the BJP has released its first list of candidates for the elections to be held in Rajasthan. The second list is being brainstormed.
Besides, the party is also strengthening the cognitive structure at the grassroots level so that it can contest the elections better. For this reason, the BJP is continuously holding meetings at the division level. National office bearers and leaders of the BJP are also giving mantras of victory to the workers along with election management in the division-level meetings, party leaders said.

BJP announces first list of candidates for the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls

August 17, 2023, 5:09 pm

Even before the elections were officially announced, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its initial list of 21 candidates for the Chhattisgarh assembly elections on Thursday. Laxmi Rajwade, Shakuntala Singh Porthe, Sarla Kosaria, Alka Chandrakar, and Geeta Ghasi Sahu are among the five women on the party’s list of 21 candidates for the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly. A distant nephew of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Durg MP Vijay Baghel is also listed on the list.

Vijay Baghel is to contest the poll from Patan assembly seat.
The party had earlier named the Durg MP, who was in Congress till 2000, as in charge of its manifesto committee, heading a group of 30 leaders.
Meanwhile, BJP has also declared the names of 39 candidates for the 230-seat Madhya Pradesh Assembly.
The elections in these two states are due later this year.
The BJP had announced its list of candidates in Karnataka late compared to its rivals in the state. The party lost the polls in the southern state.
The early declaration of the first list in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh is being seen as a move to give more time to candidates to campaign.
BJP is the first national party to declare candidates for both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh

The announcement follows discussions in the Party’s Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting about the campaigning in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The CEC discussed seats and election preparations in Chhattisgarh, which is due to hold elections.

Priyanka Gandhi slams BJP for betraying public trust

April 30, 2023, 4:12 pm

On Sunday, Priyanka Gnadhi, Congress general secretary, hit out at the BJP in poll-bound Karnataka and said that the party has betrayed the public while claiming that the party is attempting to “divert people from main issues”.

Priyanka is claiming that the BJP has betrayed the public at all levels. The party has diverted the public from the main agenda, which is unemployment, no development work done, etc., she said while addressing the public.

Priyanka Gandhi emphasised the issues the Congress party is addressing in preparation for the upcoming elections in Karnataka, stating that the party will not distract voters from the important issues.

The polls are for the public to choose their leader. They are well aware that they have been looted, and they want a change now, the Congress leader added.

Later, Priyanka Gandhi mentioned that our party has fulfilled all its promises and has worked for the people.

“You have watched the work of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and you all have the trust that we will do something for the public,” Priyanka added.

BJP 2nd list out: Will win at least 125 seats out of 189 announced, says Yediyurappa

April 12, 2023, 6:22 pm

BS Yediyurappa, a senior in the Bharatiya Janata Party and a former chief minister of Karnataka, stated on Wednesday that the party has named candidates for 189 seats on Tuesday, of which it will win at least 125 in the state assembly elections. He also stated that the second list would be made public by tonight.

Yediyurappa stated in a media that 52 of the 189 seats declared yesterday are new. Out of the 189 seats that were announced yesterday, we will win at least 125 to 130. We are pleased with the news. We’ll take over Karnataka’s government. The second list of candidates, in my opinion, will be made public by evening. When questioned about KS Eshwarappa’s decision to leave electoral politics, the former chief minister claimed that he had freely written to JP Nadda, the party’s national president, expressing his decision not to run in the elections.

“Eshwarappa voluntarily wrote a letter to the party president saying that he will work for the party and does not want to contest,” he said.

Speaking about Jagadish Shettar, a former Karnataka Chief Minister and six-time BJP MLA whose name was missing from the first list of the list released by the party yesterday, Yediyurappa said that there is a maximum chance of his name appearing in the second list.
“99 percent of Jagadish Shettar (the former Karnataka CM) will be given an election ticket,” he said.

When asked about Congress moving the Election Commission regarding the issues in the voter list, the BJP leader said that the party is doing so because it is aware of its defeat in the polls. “That means they know they are going to lose the elections. They have given such statements previously also,” he said.

BSP to fight Karnataka assembly elections: Mayawati

March 27, 2023, 8:36 pm

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati announced on Monday that the party would contest the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections on its own.

In an important meeting held in Delhi on Monday, the BSP finalised the names of over 60% of the candidates. Soon, the list of candidates will be made public.

Danish Azad, Uttar Pradesh’s minister for minority welfare, responded to Mayawati’s decision to fight in the Karnataka assembly elections by saying, “Everyone has the right to contest elections; it is her decision, but I assure you that the country has full confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

OLD-STYLE POLITICS TAKES OVER THE ASSEMBLY POLLS 2021

January 20, 2021, 2:16 am

This year is going to see a series of Assembly polls, the most crucial being the ones in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam. Barring Assam and Kerala, the Congress really has little role except that of a supporting partner, leaving the Trinamool Congress and the DMK to take on the BJP juggernaut.

The most interesting and high-voltage battle of course is going to be West Bengal, the groundwork for which began much earlier with Mamata Banerjee taking on the BJP at every step. Given the way Amit Shah operates, he had begun working for these Assembly elections the very minute the last round of polls got over. Bengal has been very much on both his itinerary and radar ever since. In fact, after the Northeast, J&K and Uttar Pradesh, this is going to be the BJP’s next turn-around project. After this the focus will shift south. Work has already begun in Telangana and Tamil Nadu will be next.

It is this kind of grassroots planning and strategy that the Congress lacks. Given that the Congress is much more of a pan-India party than the BJP even today, it would have a much easier task, building on its cadre and strength. But of course, first it has to build on its leadership.

As things stand today, the fight in West Bengal is definitely between the TMC and the BJP, with the Congress-Left alliance reduced to the role of spoilers. The reason why Mamata will not go in for an alliance with them is that she does not want to unite the anti-TMC vote. That, and the fact that the genesis of her politics has been stridently anti-Left and also that she sees no future in doing business with a Rahul Gandhi-led Congress.

Assam is the one state where the Congress can lead the fight against the BJP. The CAA backlash would help its cause but Tarun Gogoi’s recent demise has left it bereft of a charismatic leader. Especially when the other side has Himanta Biswa Sarma leading the charge. However, this is the only poll-going state where it can play a meaningful role but so far there seems to be little move in that direction.

Will the Covid-19 pandemic, the long lockdown and the economy have a role in any of the coming state elections? We saw some change in the rhetoric in Bihar when jobs and unemployment took precedence over all other talk. Will the same be repeated in the next set of state elections? One is not sure, as it is early days yet. But looking at the highly polarised campaign being run in West Bengal, one is doubtful.

The year will begin with a focus on vaccines and the economy (with the Budget session round the corner) but mid-course, once the state polls begin, it’s going to be back to the politics of old.

Ahead of Assembly polls, AIADMK calls executive, general council meet

December 22, 2020, 7:26 am

Following the meeting at the party headquarters, in a joint statement, AIADMK convener O. Panneerselvam and co-convener Edappadi Palaniswami have called for the party’s executive and general council meeting on 9 January2021. Along with the announcement on Monday, the party also has announced that the first political public meeting will on 27 December in Chennai.

The executive and General council meeting gains significance as it comes right ahead of Sasikala’s release and the Assembly elections.

Though the much insisted 11-member committee demanded by OPS was announced, there is information about the powers of the committee was stated by the party during its announcement and the executive council has to empower it to become operational. Already, there are specific committee for specific works in the party.

Apart from that, the executive and general council will discuss about the election strategies and release of Sasikala in January 2021. Though the AIADMK continues to maintain that they are in alliance with BJP, the national party still keeps stirring the pot by raising the CM candidate issue of the alliance. AIADMK maintains it as a settled decision as there is no question of a CM candidate anyone other than EPS, Tamil Nadu BJP president and other leaders in the party continue to say that the CM candidate for the alliance will announced by the BJP high command.

Sources in the party say the release of Sasikala will not have any adverse impact on the party except that very few low-level leaders and few MLAs could make a courtesy meet with her.