Yearender 2023: A glimpse into the Assembly elections held in nine Indian states this year

Nine Indian states witnessed the Legislative Assembly elections this year, making 2023 a crucial period for Indian politics. Moreover, India's top court asked the Election Commission to conduct Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. These polls held more significance as they have set the stage for General Elections in 2024.

As the results for all state Legislative Assemblies are out, here's a glimpse into the elections held in the nine Indian states.

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Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalya

The Legislative Assembly elections started in February 2023 with the northeastern states of Meghalaya, Tripura, and Nagaland. The Bharatiya Janata Party emerged victorious in the Tripura Assembly elections for the second time by winning 32 out of 60 seats. However, Tipra Motha Party, a two-year-old regional political party, stole the limelight as they formed the opposition with 13 seats, beating the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which has been prominent in the northeastern state.

In Nagaland, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party won 25 out of 60 seats. They had to ally with the BJP, who won 12 seats, to form the government.

Meanwhile, elections were held in 59 out of 60 constituencies in Meghalaya, out of which the National People's Party won 26 seats. They formed a coalition government with the United Democratic Party (12), Bharatiya Janata Party (2), Hill State People's Democratic Party (2) and two independent candidates.

Although BJP did not win in two of the three northeastern states, the party is a part of the larger alliance, which eventually influences the decision-making process.

Karnataka, Telangana

BJP's arch-rival, the Indian National Congress (INC), failed to perform in the Assembly elections in Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya but emerged victorious in the Karnataka Assembly elections by getting 135 out of 224 seats in May 2023. BJP's seats in the Karnataka Assembly dropped by 36.53 per cent, from 104 in the 2019 elections to 66 in 2023. Unlike the previous elections, INC's unparalleled victory in May 2023 allowed them to form a full-fledged government without needing a coalition with Janata Dal (Secular), who won 37 seats.

INC dominated the Telangana Assembly elections by winning 64 out of 119 seats. Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BHRS) came second by winning 39 seats. BJP contested from 118 seats but won only eight. Moreover, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) contested from only eight seats and won seven.

Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan

There was a striking similarity in the Assembly election results of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. BJP turned the tables in all three states, defeating Congress, which formed the government in the three states after the previous Assembly elections in 2018.

In Chhattisgarh, BJP saw a 72.2 per cent rise in seats by getting 54 out of 90 seats in 2023 compared to 15 seats in 2018. Congress's seats in the state Legislative Assembly dropped from 68 in 2018 to 35 in 2023.

Although Congress won the MP Assembly elections in 2018, Kamal Nath's government collapsed two years later when Jyotiraditya Scindia and 22 other MLAs deflected to BJP. In the 2023 Assembly elections, BJP emerged victorious in Madhya Pradesh by getting 163 out of 230 seats. In Rajasthan, BJP swept Congress by winning 115 out of 199 seats.

Mizoram

In Mizoram, the battle was between the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and the Mizo National Front (MNF). While ZPM emerged victorious with 27 seats, MNF formed the opposition with 10 seats. INC, a party which once formed the government in Mizoram in 2013 by getting 34 out of 40 seats, won only one seat in the 2023 Assembly elections. Meanwhile, the BJP made little progress by winning two seats in 2023 polls compared to one in 2018.