According to most exit polls, the Congress is set to bag majority in Rajasthan. In Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, there appears to be a close fight between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. In Telangana, all the exit polls give KCR-led TRS a clear majority.
According to most exit polls, the Congress is set to bag a clear majority in Rajasthan.
In Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, there appears to be a close fight between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
In Telangana, all the exit polls give KCR-led TRS a clear majority.
The results will be declared on December 11.
The results of the crucial assembly elections in five states, which are seen as a weather vane to next year’s Lok Sabha elections, will be declared on December 11.
The states that went to polls were Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana.
The outcome of the elections are significant as MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan account for 65 Lok Sabha seats of which the BJP had won 62 in 2014 when the Narendra Modi wave swept the Hindi heartland. On the other hand, gains for the Congress in these states would not only be a shot in the arm for the grand old party in the run-up to the 2019 elections but also bolster the party’s claim that it is the natural pivot of any possible pan-Indian alliance against BJP.
Chhattisgarh registered a voter turnout of 74.17 per cent after voting was held in two phases for the 90-seat Assembly last month. With over 1,200 candidates in the poll fray, the elections this year will test the popularity of BJP Chief Minister Raman Singh, who has been ruling the state for 15 years and is contesting from Rajnandgaon constituency. Singh is facing Chhattisgarh Janata Congress’ Ajit Jogi, who has allied with the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party and is contesting from Marwahi constituency. Jogi had served as CM for three years after the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000.
Madhya Pradesh
Altogether 74.61 per cent voters exercised their franchise on November 28, a rise of around two per cent compared to the previous polls. For the 230-member Assembly, this election is mostly a two-way contest between the BJP and Congress. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who has been in office since 2005, is seeking re-election from Budhni in Sehore district. At the same time, Congress is trying to make a comeback by fielding its former state unit chief Arun Yadav from the same constituency.
Mizoram
The voting percentage in the election to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly was registered at 80.15 per cent last month. Here, the ruling Congress party is eyeing for a third consecutive term as the party has been in power in the state since 2008. The Congress and the main opposition, the Mizo National Front (MNF), have fielded 40 candidates each, while the BJP is contesting in 39 seats. Exit polls have predicted a hung assembly.
Rajasthan
Rajasthan, which voted on Friday, recorded a tentative turnout of 74.05 per cent till 5 pm. The primary contest here is also between the BJP and Congress with Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Congress state party chief Sachin Pilot as prominent candidates. Former CM and State General Secretary of AICC Ashok Gehlot is also contesting the polls from Sardarpur.
If exit polls are to be believed, the Congress is poised for a clean sweep with predictions that the party will easily cross the halfway mark of 100.
While there are 200 seats in the Assembly, polling, however, was held in 199 seats after the death of a Samajwadi Party candidate. The BJP had ousted the Congress from power in the state in 2013.