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POLITICS

Can BJP ride the NAMO wave in Question mark over EC Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Mad- dates in Madhya Pradesh and joined

Meanwhile, the timing of the Election
hands with Ajit Jogi in Chhatisgarh
hya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana
while Congress was still dilly-dally-
Commission’s announcement itself
and Mizoram. Counting of votes in
five state assembly elections? came under political scrutiny with all the five states will be held on ing its strategy. The question is when
the Congress alleging it was put off by
December 11, he said. With the Election
regional parties can cobble support
hours to allow Prime Minister Naren-
why Congress could not be accommo-
Commission’s announcement, model
dra Modi to complete his speech at a code of conduct has come into effect dative? When BJP could appease its
rally in Ajmer. The Election Commis- in all these states. The tenure of allies without showing any hesitation
sion of India gave several reasons for Rajasthan State Assembly, which has why Congress showed big brother atti-
As five states go the polls there is a question foremost in every mind if the BJP will be able to ride the the postponement, including a late strength of 200 members, expires on tude? If the BJP can ally with a party like
NAMO wave? Will the election to five states be a semi-final for 2019? A report from SARRAH request from Tamil Nadu to defer the January 20, 2019. The 230-member PDP in a state like Jammu and Kashmir
attle for the States has be- of the Congress in every major state decided to go solo in Madhya Pradesh.
gun in the backdrop of polls where both were the main rivals In 2013, the BJP had won 165, 163 and
‘mahagathbandhan’, the thanks to the image of Modi. However, 49 seats in Madhya Pradesh, Rajas -
much touted alliance of in Karnataka the BJP despite emerging than and Chhattisgarh assemblies
B different parties read re- single largest party could not do much respectively, with the Congress securing
gional parties with Congress seems to form a government. 58, 21 and 39 seats. The relative strength
crumbling. It is ironic that the BJP has of these assemblies are 230, 200 and
been able to stitch ties and close ranks Mahagathbandhan crumbling 90 respectively.
with allies while the Congress is off to The walk out by allies shows they are In Telangana, the ruling Telangana
a false start. still not sure of Rahul Gandhi’s lead- Rashtra Samithi is seen to be going
ership. It is not only Mayawati, the strong and will face contest from the
Direct contests BSP supremo who has dumped Congress and the BJP. After winning
What makes the contest in Madhya 63 seats in the 2014 assembly polls,
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Tel- What makes the TRS’ ranks have swelled with
angana and Mizoram even more inter- members of rival parties joining it
esting is that these will witness a direct the contest in over the years. The state assembly has
fight between the BJP and the Congress, Madhya Pradesh, 119 seats. The ruling Telangana Rash-
the principal players at the national tra Samithi (TRS) had dissolved the
level. The Congress is a big player in Chhattisgarh, assembly on September 6, paving
Telangana and Mizoram too, raising the Rajasthan, Telangana way for early elections. In Mizoram,
stakes in this round further. the Congress has been in power since
Already results of an opinion poll and Mizoram more 2008. In the hill state with 40 assembly
have given an edge to Congress. In fact seats, Congress has been in fight against
it has given thumbs up to Congress in interesting is that state parties Mizo National Front and
Rajasthan with a clear majority while these states will Mizo Peoples Conference. Election in
it shows edge in Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram is important as it would
Chhatisgarh. Without a doubt, the witness a direct fight decide whether the Congress manages
results will have a bearing on Lok Sab- between BJP and to hold its lone fort in the northeast or
ha polls and run up to 2019. However, not. Telangana is the new State added election citing the monsoon. As one Madhya Pradesh Assembly will expire to be in power why Congress failed to
reading too much between the lines Congress to this batch of elections as Chief Minis- of the most important institutional on January 7, 2019. Mizoram Assem- form alliance. It is in indeed paradoxi-
would be a fallacy because state elec- ter K. Chandrasekhar Rao chose to rec- pillars, the ECI will have to be above bly, with 50 seats, expires on Decem- cal. More questions would be raised in
tions and elections to Lok Sabha have Rahul Gandhi but Akhilesh Yadav ommend dissolution of the Assembly all suspicion. ber 15, 2018. The term of Chhattisgarh coming days as to why allies were shy
different issues to egg on. too has followed suit. Though Rahul almost nine months before its term While Chhattisgarh will go to the Assembly, with 90 MLSs, ends on of joining hands with Rahul Gandhi.
Still much is at stake in the polls in Gandhi and his team has said that was to end. polls in two phases on November January 5, 2019. The one answer would be the results
these three states as the BJP and the alliance would still be a possibil - Mizoram, where the contest has tra- 12 and 20, the Madhya Pradesh and of Assembly elections in five states on
Congress are in a direct contest. The ity in 2019, yet this makes this contest ditionally been between the Congress Mizoram Assembly elections will Road to 2019 December 5 that would make or mar
saffron party had trounced its arch- very interesting. Not only the BSP is and regional formations, is unlikely be held on November 28. Polling in What has made this election even more Congress led much-touted ‘mahagath-
rival Congress in 2013 and then went going apart from Congress in Mad - to see a drastic change although the Rajasthan and Telangana will be held intriguing is the fact that Congress had bandhan’ for 2019 general election.
on to decimate it in the 2014 Lok Sabha hya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh but in Northeast is one of India’s most po - on December 7 according to Chief again proved to be a laggard in finaliz- Indeed much at stake for all the political
polls as well. Under Prime Minister Haryana too it has announced a tie up litically volatile areas and the BJP has Election Commissioner OP Rawat. ing seats adjustment with parties thus parties as 2018 is a semi-final for 2019.
Narendra Modi and its president Amit with Indian National Lok Dal of Chau- encroached upon the Congress space in Rawat announced that VVPAT EVMs making them to solo or join hands with
Shah, the BJP has since 2014 got better talas. The Samajwadi Party too has parts of the region. will be used for voting during the State others? The BSP announced its candi- LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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