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Billed as semi-finals to 2019 Lok Sabha polls, election results in five states due on Tuesday

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Dec 10, 2018, 11:14 PM IST
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File photo of Flags of BJP and Congress. Photograph:(DNA)

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Experts bill the 5-state assembly elections as semi-finals before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls -- a major test for the two biggest political parties in the country, the BJP and the Congress. 

The results of the electoral battle in five states will be declared on Tuesday. According to reports, exit polls for the recently concluded assembly elections have predicted a tight finish between the ruling BJP and the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and a win for the opposition party in Rajasthan.

Experts bill the 5-state assembly elections as semi-finals before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls -- a major test for the two biggest political parties in the country, the BJP and the Congress. 

The exit polls have also predicted a clean-sweep for KC Rao's TRS in Telangana, whereas the Mizo National Front is predicted to have an edge in Mizoram's electoral battle, throwing up a hung assembly. 

Reports suggest the trends to begin pouring in as early as 8am. By noon, the larger picture of the results in the poll-bound states is likely to emerge. 

Tuesday's results are set to test the hold of the incumbent governments in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Telangana and examine the potency of the Opposition's challenge.

The BJP holds power in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan at present, however, the exit polls hint at the Congress putting up a tough fight to change the game in its favour in the states with incumbent BJP governments.

These assembly elections are being seen as crucial for the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections as it is in power in three of these states.

The saffron party is trying for a fourth term in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and is seeking to retain power in Rajasthan. The three states also played a significant role for the BJP in the 2014 general elections, when it had won 62 out of the 65 Lok Sabha seats in these three states.

The elections are also significant for Congress, which is out to challenge the BJP's rule in three states and protect its last bastion in the North-East, where Mizoram remains the only state not (rpt) not under the rule of BJP-led NDA. The eight North-East states together have 25 Lok Sabha seats.

In the multi-phase polling, Chhattisgarh voted on November 12 (18 seats) and November 20 (72 seats); Madhya Pradesh (230 seats) and Mizoram (40 seats) on November 28; and Rajasthan (199 seats) and Telangana (119 seats) on December 7.

(With inputs from PTI)