The planned South East Asia tour which Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was reportedly to begin from Friday has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. During the now-cancelled trip, Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to travel to Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi cancels South Asia tour after poll debacle

Ten BJP MPs, including two Union ministers, who won the Assembly elections, have tendered their resignations after receiving instructions from the party's high command.&nbsp;

Two MPs Mahant Balaknath and Renuka Singh could not reach Parliament to resign but both of them will also resign. In the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and JP Nadda, it was decided that all the MPs who won the Assembly elections should resign from their Parliament membership and work in the state assemblies.&nbsp;

Following the decision of the high command, Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Prahlad Singh Patel, who won the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, have resigned from the Lok Sabha membership. Along with them, Rao Uday Pratap Singh, Rakesh Singh and Riti Pathak, who won the Assembly polls in the state, have also resigned from the Lok Sabha membership. Now these five leaders will take oath as MLAs in Madhya Pradesh. Of these, Tomar and Patel are also being considered as contenders for the post of Chief Minister.&nbsp;

On the instructions of the party high command, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Diya Kumari, who won the Assembly polls in Rajasthan, have also resigned from the Lok Sabha membership. Apart from them, Kirori Lal Meena, who won the election in Rajasthan, has also resigned from the Rajya Sabha.&nbsp;

State President Arun Sao and Gomati Sai, who won the Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, have also resigned from Parliament membership.&nbsp;

All these MPs met Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with party president JP Nadda before resigning. JP Nadda was also present when they handed over their resignations to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.&nbsp;

Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Singh Patel and Renuka Singh will also meet Prime Minister Modi and submit their resignations from the post of Union Ministers.

Ten BJP MPs, including two Union ministers, who won the Assembly elections, have tendered their resignations after receiving instructions from the party's high command.

Ten BJP MPs, including two Union ministers, who won the Assembly elections, have tendered their resignations after receiving instructions from the party's high command. Two MPs Mahant Balaknath and Renuka Singh could not reach Parliament to resign but both of them will also resign. In the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and JP Nadda, it was decided that all the MPs who won the Assembly elections should resign from their Parliament membership and work in the state assemblies. Following the decision of the high command, Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Prahlad Singh Patel, who won the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, have resigned from the Lok Sabha membership. Along with them, Rao Uday Pratap Singh, Rakesh Singh and Riti Pathak, who won the Assembly polls in the state, have also resigned from the Lok Sabha membership. Now these five leaders will take oath as MLAs in Madhya Pradesh. Of these, Tomar and Patel are also being considered as contenders for the post of Chief Minister. On the instructions of the party high command, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Diya Kumari, who won the Assembly polls in Rajasthan, have also resigned from the Lok Sabha membership. Apart from them, Kirori Lal Meena, who won the election in Rajasthan, has also resigned from the Rajya Sabha. State President Arun Sao and Gomati Sai, who won the Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, have also resigned from Parliament membership. All these MPs met Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with party president JP Nadda before resigning. JP Nadda was also present when they handed over their resignations to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Singh Patel and Renuka Singh will also meet Prime Minister Modi and submit their resignations from the post of Union Ministers.

India: 10 BJP MPs, including two Union ministers, resign after winning Assembly elections

The Indian National Congress' defeat in three heartland states of India has raised serious questions about the party's prospects in next year's general elections. The loss in these states has dashed any hopes of the opposition posing a serious challenge to the ruling party, the BJP. So what went wrong for Congress, let's decode.

Gravitas: Has Gandhi dynasty finished Congress? Big takeaways from India election results

The 2024 national elections is about six months away. And even though we keep hearing that state elections have no bearing on general polls... Changing this trend is the BJP supremo - Narendra Modi. While Sunday's results are making political pundits remove their spectacles - and rethink their understanding of elections, they also think that the prime minister is bridging the gap between two different elections.

BJP'S victory in 3 Indian states sets the stage for 2024 elections

The results for the assembly elections 2023 in four states- Among the many factors that contributed to the BJP's massive victories in the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The turnout element has been the role of the women and tribal voters. Voting figures shows that women and tribal voters overwhelmingly supported the BJP.

Assembly elections results: Women power helps BJP to a heavy lead in Madhya Pradesh

The Election Commission of India on Friday (Dec 1) said that the counting of votes will take place on December 4 in the northeast Indian state of Mizoram, a day after its original schedule. 
 
The decision was taken by the Election Commission after representatives from different quarters requested for the change from initial counting day of December 3, a Sunday, which has special significance among the people in the Christian-majority state. 
 
In a statement, the Election Commission said: "The Commission has received several representations from various quarters requesting for change in date of counting from December 3 (Sunday) to some other week day, on the ground that December 3, being Sunday a special significance for the people of Mizoram."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-five-state-elections-after-hindi-heartland-bjp-banks-on-pm-modis-popularity-in-telangana-663146">India five-state elections: After Hindi heartland, BJP banks on PM Modi's popularity in Telangana</a>

“The Commission, having considered these representations, has decided to revise the date of counting for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Mizoram from 3rd December, 2023 (Sunday) to 4th December, 2023 (Monday),” the commission stated. 
 
Earlier, the counting of votes was scheduled for December 3, along four other Indian states - Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana – where assembly elections were conducted last month. 
 
The counting of votes is now likely to start from 8 am on Monday (Dec 4) in all 13 counting centres as well as 40 counting halls across that state.

The postal ballots will be counted first, followed by votes submitted in EVMs.

Watch:&nbsp;India state elections exit polls: Decoding the mood and the mandate

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-state-elections-exit-polls-decoding-the-mood-and-the-mandate-664918/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The officials said that more than 4,000 counting personnel will be participating in the counting and the commission will set up 399 EVM tables and 56 postal ballot tables.

<h2>Protests across Mizoram</h2>

The decision to postpone the date of counting also came amid protests being staged by the members of the Mizoram NGO Co-ordination Committee (NGOCC) across the state over the demand to change the date of counting of votes. 
 
The protests were staged in the state capital Aizawl along with other district headquarters.

NGOCC is an umbrella organisation of the state's civil society organisations and student bodies, which include the Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA) and Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP). 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The Election Commission of India on Friday (Dec 1) said that the counting of votes will take place on December 4 in the northeast Indian state of Mizoram, a day after its original schedule.

The Election Commission of India on Friday (Dec 1) said that the counting of votes will take place on December 4 in the northeast Indian state of Mizoram, a day after its original schedule. The decision was taken by the Election Commission after representatives from different quarters requested for the change from initial counting day of December 3, a Sunday, which has special significance among the people in the Christian-majority state. In a statement, the Election Commission said: "The Commission has received several representations from various quarters requesting for change in date of counting from December 3 (Sunday) to some other week day, on the ground that December 3, being Sunday a special significance for the people of Mizoram." Also read: India five-state elections: After Hindi heartland, BJP banks on PM Modi's popularity in Telangana “The Commission, having considered these representations, has decided to revise the date of counting for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Mizoram from 3rd December, 2023 (Sunday) to 4th December, 2023 (Monday),” the commission stated. Earlier, the counting of votes was scheduled for December 3, along four other Indian states - Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana – where assembly elections were conducted last month. The counting of votes is now likely to start from 8 am on Monday (Dec 4) in all 13 counting centres as well as 40 counting halls across that state. The postal ballots will be counted first, followed by votes submitted in EVMs. Watch: India state elections exit polls: Decoding the mood and the mandate The officials said that more than 4,000 counting personnel will be participating in the counting and the commission will set up 399 EVM tables and 56 postal ballot tables. Protests across Mizoram The decision to postpone the date of counting also came amid protests being staged by the members of the Mizoram NGO Co-ordination Committee (NGOCC) across the state over the demand to change the date of counting of votes. The protests were staged in the state capital Aizawl along with other district headquarters. NGOCC is an umbrella organisation of the state's civil society organisations and student bodies, which include the Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA) and Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP). (With inputs from agencies)

Mizoram assembly elections: Counting of votes pushed by a day to December 4

Five key Indian states went to polls this month and all the rounds of polling finally concluded today. We now have the first projections from Exit Polls. Let's take a look at which state went to polls and why these elections are important.

India state elections: Exit polls give a sense of what to expect on December 3

Around 29 per cent of the politicians contesting in the ongoing assembly elections in five Indian states are millionaires, while 18 per cent of the contestants have declared criminal cases registered against them, a report by the think-tank Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) stated.

Out of the 1,452 candidates with criminal cases, around 959 (12 per cent) have serious criminal cases registered against them.

The assessment from the election watchdog is based on an analysis of the self-sworn affidavits of 8,051 candidates of the 8,054 candidates who are contesting polls in the five states.

Serious criminal cases are those which have a maximum punishment of five years or more. It also includes offences that are non-bailable, electoral offences, related to loss to the exchequer, assault, murder, kidnap, rape and crimes against women.

As many as 22 candidates have declared cases related to murder, while 107 candidates have declared cases related to crimes against women. Of these 107 candidates, five have declared cases related to rape, the study found.

<h2>Telangana leads the pack</h2>

The state with the highest number of candidates with criminal cases was found to be in southern Telangana state, with 45 cases related to crimes against women, 27 with cases of attempt to murder and seven murder cases.

This is followed by western Rajasthan state which has 36 candidates registered in crimes against women, 34 with cases of attempt to murder and four murder cases.

In Madhya Pradesh, 24 candidates have cases related to crimes against women, 17 with cases of attempt to murder and 10 murder cases.

In Chhattisgarh, four candidates are booked for attempt to murder, two for crimes against women and one in a murder case.

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Among the five poll-bound states, north-eastern Mizoram state has the lowest number of candidates with criminal records. Between 3 per cent and 10% of candidates from major parties have criminal cases against them.

<h2>Parties failed to adhere to SC's 2020 order</h2>

None of the candidates in the North East state have declared cases related to crimes against women, attempts to murder and murder, the study found.

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The think tank also noted that none of the parties have adhered to the 2020 Supreme Court guidelines that mandated the political parties to give reasons for the selection of such candidates and why other persons without criminal history could not be fielded in the polls instead.

"The directions of the Supreme Court have had no effect on the political parties in selection of candidates in the five state Assembly elections in 2023 as they have again followed their old practice of giving tickets to candidates with criminal cases. All major parties contesting in the five state Assembly elections have given tickets to candidates who have declared criminal cases against themselves," the report said.

It said 2,371 (29 per cent) candidates are "crorepatis", which means they have assets worth more than Rs 10 million. The average worth of assets of such candidates is Rs 33 million.

&nbsp;

Around 29 per cent of the politicians contesting in the ongoing assembly elections in five Indian states are millionaires, while 18 per cent of the contestants have declared criminal cases registered against them, a report by the think-tank Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) stated.

Around 29 per cent of the politicians contesting in the ongoing assembly elections in five Indian states are millionaires, while 18 per cent of the contestants have declared criminal cases registered against them, a report by the think-tank Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) stated. Out of the 1,452 candidates with criminal cases, around 959 (12 per cent) have serious criminal cases registered against them. The assessment from the election watchdog is based on an analysis of the self-sworn affidavits of 8,051 candidates of the 8,054 candidates who are contesting polls in the five states. Serious criminal cases are those which have a maximum punishment of five years or more. It also includes offences that are non-bailable, electoral offences, related to loss to the exchequer, assault, murder, kidnap, rape and crimes against women. As many as 22 candidates have declared cases related to murder, while 107 candidates have declared cases related to crimes against women. Of these 107 candidates, five have declared cases related to rape, the study found. Telangana leads the pack The state with the highest number of candidates with criminal cases was found to be in southern Telangana state, with 45 cases related to crimes against women, 27 with cases of attempt to murder and seven murder cases. This is followed by western Rajasthan state which has 36 candidates registered in crimes against women, 34 with cases of attempt to murder and four murder cases. In Madhya Pradesh, 24 candidates have cases related to crimes against women, 17 with cases of attempt to murder and 10 murder cases. In Chhattisgarh, four candidates are booked for attempt to murder, two for crimes against women and one in a murder case. Also read | 'Sickness not life-threatening': SC refuses bail to jailed Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji Among the five poll-bound states, north-eastern Mizoram state has the lowest number of candidates with criminal records. Between 3 per cent and 10% of candidates from major parties have criminal cases against them. Parties failed to adhere to SC's 2020 order None of the candidates in the North East state have declared cases related to crimes against women, attempts to murder and murder, the study found. Also read | SC calls out ‘narrow-mindedness’, rejects plea seeking complete ban on Pak artists The think tank also noted that none of the parties have adhered to the 2020 Supreme Court guidelines that mandated the political parties to give reasons for the selection of such candidates and why other persons without criminal history could not be fielded in the polls instead. "The directions of the Supreme Court have had no effect on the political parties in selection of candidates in the five state Assembly elections in 2023 as they have again followed their old practice of giving tickets to candidates with criminal cases. All major parties contesting in the five state Assembly elections have given tickets to candidates who have declared criminal cases against themselves," the report said. It said 2,371 (29 per cent) candidates are "crorepatis", which means they have assets worth more than Rs 10 million. The average worth of assets of such candidates is Rs 33 million.

18% of contesting candidates in 5 poll-bound states have criminal record, Telangana tops the list: Report

Conceding defeat in the Karnataka assembly election, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party has not been able to make the mark, while the Congress did it successfully.

Karnataka Elections 2023: BJP to introspect why it couldn't dominate in the state

Karnataka Election 2023: Congress takes strong lead against ruling BJP | India

Karnataka Election 2023 | BJP: Congress' performance a reflection of local issues | India

Three Indian states in the country’s northeast region held their assembly elections on Monday (February 27). The exit polls began hours later after Meghalaya and Nagaland finished their voting, earlier Monday while Tripura had finished polling on February 16. So far, the exit polls have suggested that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies will lead in two states while there will be a close race for Meghalaya.&nbsp;

All three states have 60 seats in their assembly where 31 seats are needed to secure the majority. The elections in Meghalaya and Nagaland took place across 59 constituencies in each of the two states, early Monday. However, one seat in Meghalaya was adjourned due to the death of a candidate while no poll was held for one seat in Nagaland as there was only one candidate.&nbsp;

According to recent data from the Election Commission, the turnout in both states was over 80 per cent with Meghalaya at 81.57 per cent and Nagaland at 85.90 per. Meanwhile, Tripura recorded nearly 87.6 per cent in the one-day assembly elections when it held the polls nearly two weeks ago. In Meghalaya, the polling took place across 3,419 stations and 2,291 in Nagaland.&nbsp;

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The EC in its statement after the polls also said that it seized 23 times more freebies during the Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura elections than it did in 2018. The freebies included cash, alcohol, precious metals and even drugs worth at least $1.70 billion (Rs.169.6 crore). The EC also noted that there was no repolling needed at any of the 5,710 stations and thanked polling personnel for conducting the elections peacefully.&nbsp;

Exit polls for Meghalaya assembly elections

As per exit polls by Times Now-ETG Research, 29 seats were estimated for Others, followed by 22 for the National People’s Party (NPP), BJP with five, and Congress with three seats.&nbsp;

Zee News-Matrize estimates 24 seats will be secured by NPP, while 22 will be with Others, followed by approximately nine seats for BJP, and four for Congress.

India Today-Axis My India predicted that 23 seats will be secured by Others, followed by 21 seats by NPP while Congress and BJP will secure nine and six seats respectively.&nbsp;

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The exit polls published by several agencies late Monday have led many to believe that the northeastern state will witness a hung assembly this year. This would not be the first time that has taken place in Meghalaya as in 2018 there was no single party or alliance which managed to secure a majority which led incumbent Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to form a coalition with United Democratic Party (UDP), BJP and others to form the state government.&nbsp;

This time around Sangma’s NPP has stood in second place in most polls and after the exit polls, the current CM once again hinted that if they fall short of the majority the party will form an alliance.&nbsp;

Exit polls for Tripura assembly elections&nbsp;

India Today-Axis My India predicted that BJP and its ally, Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) will manage to secure 40 seats, followed by TMP at 12 and 16 seats may be won by Left and its ally Congress.&nbsp;

Times Now-ETG estimated 24 seats for BJP and its ally, followed by 21 for Left and its ally, 14 for TMP, and one seat will be taken by Others.

According to Zee News-Matrize exit polls, BJP and ally can secure 31 seats, followed by Left and ally at 16, while 12 seats are predicted for TMP and one for Others.

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Two of the three exit polls in Tripura show BJP and its ally IPFT will manage to secure the majority with the Left-Congress alliance quite behind on the estimates. Meanwhile, Times Now-ETG predicted that it might be a close race and that a hung assembly was a possibility.&nbsp;

Exit polls for Nagaland assembly elections

India Today-Axis My India predicted 43 seats for BJP and its ally Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), followed by Others at 10, five seats for Naga People’s Front (NPF), and one seat for Congress.

Times Now-ETG estimates at least 44 seats for BJP-NDPP followed by nine for Others, six for NPF, and none for Congress.

Zee News-Matrize predicts that BJP-NDPP will gain 39 seats, Others may secure 15, while three were estimated for NPF, and two for Congress.

As the exit polls indicate, BJP and its ally NDPP are poised to secure a comfortable majority, the former contested for 20 seats while the latter sent candidates for the rest of the 40 seats, as a part of their coalition.&nbsp;

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However, exit polls are not always accurate and are often vastly different from the actual outcome. The EC will announce the result of the elections on March 2. Notably, this round of assembly elections is deemed important as these are the first of back-to-back elections across the country in different states. This will also be followed by six other state elections in 2023 leading up to the general elections, next year.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

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Three Indian states in the country’s northeast region held their assembly elections on Monday (February 27). The exit polls began hours later after Meghalaya and Nagaland finished their voting, earlier Monday while Tripura had finished polling on February 16.

Three Indian states in the country’s northeast region held their assembly elections on Monday (February 27). The exit polls began hours later after Meghalaya and Nagaland finished their voting, earlier Monday while Tripura had finished polling on February 16. So far, the exit polls have suggested that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies will lead in two states while there will be a close race for Meghalaya. All three states have 60 seats in their assembly where 31 seats are needed to secure the majority. The elections in Meghalaya and Nagaland took place across 59 constituencies in each of the two states, early Monday. However, one seat in Meghalaya was adjourned due to the death of a candidate while no poll was held for one seat in Nagaland as there was only one candidate. According to recent data from the Election Commission, the turnout in both states was over 80 per cent with Meghalaya at 81.57 per cent and Nagaland at 85.90 per. Meanwhile, Tripura recorded nearly 87.6 per cent in the one-day assembly elections when it held the polls nearly two weeks ago. In Meghalaya, the polling took place across 3,419 stations and 2,291 in Nagaland. ALSO READ | Northeast India elections | Exit polls predict big win for BJP and allies in Tripura, Nagaland; close race in Meghalaya The EC in its statement after the polls also said that it seized 23 times more freebies during the Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura elections than it did in 2018. The freebies included cash, alcohol, precious metals and even drugs worth at least $1.70 billion (Rs.169.6 crore). The EC also noted that there was no repolling needed at any of the 5,710 stations and thanked polling personnel for conducting the elections peacefully. Exit polls for Meghalaya assembly elections As per exit polls by Times Now-ETG Research, 29 seats were estimated for Others, followed by 22 for the National People’s Party (NPP), BJP with five, and Congress with three seats. Zee News-Matrize estimates 24 seats will be secured by NPP, while 22 will be with Others, followed by approximately nine seats for BJP, and four for Congress. India Today-Axis My India predicted that 23 seats will be secured by Others, followed by 21 seats by NPP while Congress and BJP will secure nine and six seats respectively. ALSO READ | Made-in-India 19-seater plane 'Hindustan 228-201 LW' gets DGCA nod for civilian flight ops The exit polls published by several agencies late Monday have led many to believe that the northeastern state will witness a hung assembly this year. This would not be the first time that has taken place in Meghalaya as in 2018 there was no single party or alliance which managed to secure a majority which led incumbent Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to form a coalition with United Democratic Party (UDP), BJP and others to form the state government. This time around Sangma’s NPP has stood in second place in most polls and after the exit polls, the current CM once again hinted that if they fall short of the majority the party will form an alliance. Exit polls for Tripura assembly elections India Today-Axis My India predicted that BJP and its ally, Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) will manage to secure 40 seats, followed by TMP at 12 and 16 seats may be won by Left and its ally Congress. Times Now-ETG estimated 24 seats for BJP and its ally, followed by 21 for Left and its ally, 14 for TMP, and one seat will be taken by Others. According to Zee News-Matrize exit polls, BJP and ally can secure 31 seats, followed by Left and ally at 16, while 12 seats are predicted for TMP and one for Others. ALSO READ | Tripura Elections 2023: Check exit poll results, timings, live streaming, predictions- Where and how to watch Two of the three exit polls in Tripura show BJP and its ally IPFT will manage to secure the majority with the Left-Congress alliance quite behind on the estimates. Meanwhile, Times Now-ETG predicted that it might be a close race and that a hung assembly was a possibility. Exit polls for Nagaland assembly elections India Today-Axis My India predicted 43 seats for BJP and its ally Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), followed by Others at 10, five seats for Naga People’s Front (NPF), and one seat for Congress. Times Now-ETG estimates at least 44 seats for BJP-NDPP followed by nine for Others, six for NPF, and none for Congress. Zee News-Matrize predicts that BJP-NDPP will gain 39 seats, Others may secure 15, while three were estimated for NPF, and two for Congress. As the exit polls indicate, BJP and its ally NDPP are poised to secure a comfortable majority, the former contested for 20 seats while the latter sent candidates for the rest of the 40 seats, as a part of their coalition. ALSO READ | India: AAP supporters take to the streets to protest against Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia's arrest However, exit polls are not always accurate and are often vastly different from the actual outcome. The EC will announce the result of the elections on March 2. Notably, this round of assembly elections is deemed important as these are the first of back-to-back elections across the country in different states. This will also be followed by six other state elections in 2023 leading up to the general elections, next year. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India: Exit polls suggest BJP, allies to win in Nagaland, Tripura; uncertainty looms over Meghalaya

Tripura Elections 2023: The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for elections in three northeastern states last month, namely, Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya.

Tripura Elections 2023: The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for elections in three northeastern states last month, namely, Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya. Tripura went into voting mode on Thursday, February 16. Top leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, Former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Bikram Mankiya Deb Barma and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury were all seen electioneering for Tripura’s high-decibel elections. Tripura assembly has a total of 60 seats and polling will occur in 3328 polling booths, out of which 1100 are sensitive and 28 are categorized as critical. Once the voting is completed, the counting of votes will occur on March 2. A total of 259 candidates are competing in the electoral race, out of which 20 are women. The BJP is contesting in 55 assembly seats with its ally IPFT fielding candidates in six constituencies. The CPI (M) is contesting 47 seats and the Congress is fighting in 13 constituencies. The Trinamool Congress has fielded nominees in 28 constituencies and there are 58 independent aspirants too. The ruling BJP has fielded the highest number of women candidates with 12. The Tipra Motha is contesting 42 seats. 28.13 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise on February 16. Current Stats of Tripura Assembly: Total seats- 60 • Current strength - 53 • BJP - 33 • IPFT - 4 • CPI(M) 15 • Congress - 1 • Vacant - 7 Current Chief Minister- Manik Saha Tripura Elections 2023: AITC List of Candidates SR No. Name of Constituency Party Name Name of Candidate 1 Simna (ST) 2 Mohanpur 3 Bamutia (SC) AITC Nihar Ranjan Sarkar 4 Barjala (SC) 5 Khayerpur AITC Tejen Das 6 Agartala 7 Ramnagar AITC Pujan Biswas 8 Town Bordowali AITC Ananta Banerjee 9 Banamalipur AITC Shantanu Saha 10 Majlishpur 11 Mandaibazar(ST) 12 Takarjala (ST) 13 Pratapgarh (SC) AITC Kuheli Das (Sinha) 14 Badharghat (SC) 15 Kamalasagar AITC Sutapa Ghosh 16 Bishalgarh AITC Haradhan Debnath 17 Golaghati (ST) 18 Suryamaninagar 19 Charilam (ST) 20 Boxanagar AITC Joydul Hossain 21 Nalchar (SC) AITC Lutan Das 22 Sonamura AITC Neel Kamal Ghosh 23 Dhanpur AITC Habil Miah 24 Ramchandraghat(ST) 25 Khowai 26 Asharambari(ST) 27 Kalyanpur-Pramodenagar 28 Teliamura AITC Rabi Chowdhury 29 Krishnapur (ST) 30 Bagma (ST) 31 Radhakishorpur 32 Matarbari 33 Kakraban-Salgarh (SC) 34 Rajnagar (SC) 35 Belonia AITC Dilip Chowdhury 36 Santirbazar (ST) AITC Narendra Reang 37 Hrishyamukh 38 Jolaibari (ST) AITC Kang Jari Mog 39 Manu (ST) 40 Sabroom 41 Ampinagar (ST) 42 Amarpur AITC Biplob Saha 43 Karbook (ST) AITC Milton Chakma 44 Raima Valley(ST) 45 Kamalpur AITC Suman Dey 46 Surma (SC) AITC Arjun Namasudra 47 Ambassa (ST) AITC Chandan Mog 48 Karmachhara(ST) 49 Chawamanu(ST) AITC Rupayan Chakma 50 Pabiachhara(SC) 51 Fatikroy (SC) 52 Chandipur AITC Bidyut Bikas Sinha 53 Kailashahar AITC Abdul Matin 54 Kadamtala-Kurti AITC Abdul Haseem 55 Bagbassa AITC Bimal Nath 56 Dharmanagar 57 Jubarajnagar 58 Panisagar 59 Pencharthal (ST) AITC Purnita Chakma 60 Kanchanpur (ST) Tripura Elections 2023: BJP List of Candidates Sr. No. Constituency Name Party Name Candidate Name 1 Simna (ST) BJP Binod Debbarma 2 Mohanpur BJP Ratan Lal Nath 3 Bamutia (SC) BJP Krishnadhan Das 4 Barjala (SC) BJP Dilip Kumar Das 5 Khayerpur BJP Ratan Chakraborty 6 Agartala BJP Papiya Datta 7 Ramnagar BJP Surajit Datta 8 Town Bordowali BJP Manik Saha 9 Banamalipur BJP Rajib Bhattacharjee 10 Majlishpur BJP Sushanta Chowdhury 11 Mandaibazar (ST) BJP Tarit Debbarma 12 Takarjala (ST) IPFT Bidhan Debbarma 13 Pratapgarh (SC) BJP Rebati Mohan Das 14 Badharghat (SC) BJP Minarani Sarkar 15 Kamalasagar BJP Antara Sarkar Deb 16 Bishalgarh BJP Sushanta Deb 17 Golaghati (ST) BJP Himani Debbarma 18 Suryamaninagar BJP Ram Prasad Paul 19 Charilam (ST) BJP Jishnu Deb Barman 20 Boxanagar BJP Taffajal Hossain 21 Nalchar (SC) BJP Kishor Barman 22 Sonamura BJP Debabrata Bhattacharjee 23 Dhanpur BJP Pratima Bhoumik 24 Ramchandraghat(ST) IPFT Prasanta Debbarma 25 Khowai BJP Subrata Majumdar 26 Asharambari (ST) IPFT Jayanti Debbarma 27 Kalyanpur-Pramodenagar BJP Pinaki Das Chowdhury 28 Teliamura BJP Kalyani Roy 29 Krishnapur (ST) BJP Bikash Debbarma 30 Bagma (ST) BJP Ram Pada Jamatia 31 Radhakishorpur BJP Pranjit Singha Roy 32 Matarbari BJP Abhishek Debroy 33 Kakraban-Salgarh(SC) BJP Jitendra Majumdar 34 Rajnagar (SC) BJP Swapna Majumdar 35 Belonia BJP Gautam Sarkar 36 Santirbazar (ST) BJP Pramod Reang 37 Hrishyamukh BJP Dipayan Chowdhury 38 Jolaibari (ST) IPFT Shukla Charan Noatia 39 Manu (ST) BJP Mailaphru Mog 40 Sabroom BJP Sankar Roy 41 Ampinagar (ST) BJP Patal Kanya Jamatiya 42 Amarpur BJP Ranjit Das 43 Karbook (ST) BJP Ashim Tripura 44 Raima Valley (ST) BJP Bikas Chakma 45 Kamalpur BJP Manoj Kanti Deb 46 Surma (SC) BJP Swapna Das Paul 47 Ambassa (ST) BJP Suchitra Debbarma 48 Karmachhara (ST) BJP Brajalal Debnath 49 Chawamanu (ST) BJP Sambhu Lal Chakma 50 Pabiachhara (SC) BJP Bhagaban Chandra Das 51 Fatikroy (SC) BJP Sudhangshu Das 52 Chandipur BJP Tinku Roy 53 Kailashahar BJP Moboshar Ali 54 Kadamtala-Kurti BJP Dilip Tanti Tripura Elections 2023: CPI (M) + INC List of Candidates Sr. No. Name of the Constituency Name of the Candidate Sponsoring Party 1 Simna (ST) Kumodh Debbarma CPI(M) 2 Mohanpur Prasanta Sen Chowdhury INC 3 Bamutia (SC) Nayan Sarkar CPI(M) 4 Barjala (SC) Sudip Sarkar CPI(M) 5 Khayerpur Pabitra Kar CPI(M) 6 Agartala Sudip Roy Barman INC 7 Ramnagar Purushuttam Roy Barman Independent 8 Town Bordwali Ashish Kumar Saha INC 9 Banamalipur Gopal Roy INC 10 Majlishpur Sanjay Das CPI(M) 11 Mandainagar (ST) Radhacharan Debbarma CPI(M) 12 Takarjala (ST) Shyamal Debbarma CPI(M) 13 Pratapgarh (SC) Ramu Das CPI(M) 14 Badharghar (SC) Partha Ranjan Sarkar AIFB 15 Kamalsagar Hiranmoy Narayan Debnath CPI(M) 16 Bishalgarh Partha Pratim Majumder CPI(M) 17 Golaghati (ST) Brinda Debbarma CPI(M) 18 Surjamaninagar Susanta Chakraborty INC 19 Charilam (ST) Ashok Debbarma INC 20 Baxanagar Samsul Haque CPI(M) 21 Nalchar (SC) Tapan Das CPI(M) 22 Sonamura Shyamal Chakraborty CPI(M) 23 Dhanpur Koushik Chanda CPI(M) 24 Ramchandraghat (ST) Ranjit Debbarma CPI(M) 25 Khowai Nirmal Biswas CPI(M) 26 Asharambari Dilip Debbarma CPI(M) 27 Kalyanpur-Pramodenagar Manindra Das CPI(M) 28 Teliamura Ashok Kumar Baidya INC 29 Krishnapur (ST) Swasthi Debbarma CPI(M) 30 Bagma (ST) Naresh Jamatia CPI(M) 31 Radhakishorepur Srikanta Datta RSP 32 Matabari Pranjit Roy INC 33 Kakraban-Shalgarha (SC) Ratan Kumar Bhowmik CPI(M) 34 Rajnagar (SC) Sudhan Das CPI(M) 35 Belonia Dipankar Sen CPI(M) 36 Hrishyamukh Satyajit Reang CPI 37 Jolaibari (ST) Ashok Mitra CPI(M) 38 Manu (ST) Debendra Tripura CPI(M) 39 Sabroom Prabhat Chaudhury CPI(M) 40 Ampinagar (ST) Jitendra Chaudhury CPI(M) 41 Amarpur Parikshit Kalai CPI(M) 42 Karbook (ST) Parimal Debnath CPI(M) 43 Raima Valley (ST) Priyamani Debbarma CPI(M) 44 Kamalpur Pabin Tripura CPI(M) 45 Surma (SC) Rubi Gope INC 46 Ambassa (ST) Anjan Das CPI(M) 47 Karamchhalara (ST) Amalendu Debbarma CPI(M) 48 Chawmanu (ST) Diba Chandra Hrangkhawl INC 49 Pabiachhara (SC) Jiban Mohan Tripura CPI(M) 50 Fatikraoy (SC) Samiran Malakar CPI(M) 51 Chandipur Subrata Das CPI(M) 52 Kailashahr Krishnendu Chowdhury CPI(M) 53 Kadamtala-Kurti Birajit Sinha INC 54 Bagpassa Islam Uddin CPI(M) 55 Dharmanagar Bijita Nath CPI(M) 56 Jubarajnagar Chayan Bhattacharjee INC 57 Panisagar Shailendra Chandra Debnath CPI(M) 58 Pecharthal (ST) Shital Das CPI(M) 59 Kanchanpur INC 60 Santibazar (ST) Rajendra Reang CPI(M) The BJP-IPFT alliance is looking to retain power in the state and on the other hand, the Left-Congress alliance will be aiming to dethrone the BJP to regain power. BJP came into power in 2018 after ending the 25-year-long rule of the Left front. However, the newly formed Tipra Motha led by Barma can play a major role as it is likely to affect the contest at around 20-25 seats.

Tripura Elections 2023: Full list of BJP, CPIM- Congress and Trinamool candidates & their constituencies

All is not well within the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD). The division and differences among the parties have come to the fore for the first time. The regional political party National Conference has announced that it will contest upcoming assembly elections on its own.&nbsp;

The National Conference in a press release said that members expressed dismay over the ''recent statements, audio jingles, and speeches made by some of the constituents of the PAGD targeting JKNC. The provincial committee members unanimously resolved that JKNC should prepare to contest all the 90 assembly seats."&nbsp;

However, the president of the National Conference and chairman of the Gupkar Alliance, Dr. Farooq Abdullah&nbsp;said that all is well with the PAGD, and the alliance will never break. He stated that the decision on whether to run in an alliance or separately will be made at a later date when elections will be held. 
 
"If you cannot be courageous, you cannot do anything good for the people. Besides, there is a need to keep ourselves ready for the sacrifices," Abdullah said.&nbsp;

The other alliance partners in the PAGD have also come out in support of the PAGD Unity. PDP chief spokesperson Suhail Bukhari said that PAGD came into existence for a larger cause. "As far as some constituents issuing statements vis a vis the election, if any constituent has any reservation in the electoral alliance, it will be their own decision. but definitely would not affect the unity of PAGD. PAGD will continue to fight for the rights and dignity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.&nbsp;

Other political parties like the BJP and Apni Party termed the PAGD alliance as unholy and said it was bound to break.

BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur said that the statement from the National Conference about going solo in the upcoming elections means all is not well within the alliance. ''The alliance is about to break as there are many ideological differences among the parties in the PAGD. And it's quite evident now, after the statement of NC, that it's bound to break soon. NC has understood that people have not accepted PAGD and that's why they want to break free from the alliance,'' Thakur added.

Apni Party vice president Ghulam Hassan Mir said that&nbsp;PAGD has no roadmap or vision. "The National Conference is a political party, and their main motive is power. They will fight elections on their own, NC Patron Farooq Abdullah has handed over the power to his son Omar, and it's his responsibility to keep the party intact. Farooq Abdullah tries to be bigger than he is. He is trying to be more than the National Conference, which is not a fact." 
&nbsp;

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All is not well within the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD). The division and differences among the parties have come to the fore for the first time.

All is not well within the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD). The division and differences among the parties have come to the fore for the first time. The regional political party National Conference has announced that it will contest upcoming assembly elections on its own. The National Conference in a press release said that members expressed dismay over the ''recent statements, audio jingles, and speeches made by some of the constituents of the PAGD targeting JKNC. The provincial committee members unanimously resolved that JKNC should prepare to contest all the 90 assembly seats." However, the president of the National Conference and chairman of the Gupkar Alliance, Dr. Farooq Abdullah said that all is well with the PAGD, and the alliance will never break. He stated that the decision on whether to run in an alliance or separately will be made at a later date when elections will be held. "If you cannot be courageous, you cannot do anything good for the people. Besides, there is a need to keep ourselves ready for the sacrifices," Abdullah said. The other alliance partners in the PAGD have also come out in support of the PAGD Unity. PDP chief spokesperson Suhail Bukhari said that PAGD came into existence for a larger cause. "As far as some constituents issuing statements vis a vis the election, if any constituent has any reservation in the electoral alliance, it will be their own decision. but definitely would not affect the unity of PAGD. PAGD will continue to fight for the rights and dignity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he said. Other political parties like the BJP and Apni Party termed the PAGD alliance as unholy and said it was bound to break. BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur said that the statement from the National Conference about going solo in the upcoming elections means all is not well within the alliance. ''The alliance is about to break as there are many ideological differences among the parties in the PAGD. And it's quite evident now, after the statement of NC, that it's bound to break soon. NC has understood that people have not accepted PAGD and that's why they want to break free from the alliance,'' Thakur added. Apni Party vice president Ghulam Hassan Mir said that PAGD has no roadmap or vision. "The National Conference is a political party, and their main motive is power. They will fight elections on their own, NC Patron Farooq Abdullah has handed over the power to his son Omar, and it's his responsibility to keep the party intact. Farooq Abdullah tries to be bigger than he is. He is trying to be more than the National Conference, which is not a fact." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

J&K: Cracks appear in PAGD, National Conference to fight assembly elections on its own

India is entering a major electoral fray in the year 2022 with elections taking place in five states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa, and Manipur. The Election Commission of India has announced dates of the polling few days ago.

Zee News has conducted an opinion poll to predict voters' mood in all these states. ‘Janta Ka Mood’ (Mood of the electorate) has been billed as the biggest opinion poll as it has received responses from over 10 lakh people from these states.

As per the opinion poll, the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand appears to be headed for a close fight between Indian PM Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposing Indian National Congress. The state is currently ruled by the BJP. Polling in Uttarakhand has been scheduled to take place on February 14.

The opinion poll revealed that these were the issues people of Uttarakhand were more concerned about

Uttarakhand Opinion Poll: Most important issue

Unemployment: 23%

Land Law: 14%

Migration: 13%

Electricity/Water/Roads: 21 %

Health Care: &nbsp;10%

Other issues: 9%

The unicameral Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly has 70 seats. This is how the seats are expected to be won by parties in upcoming elections

Uttarakhand Overall opinion poll

BJP: 33 seats

Congress: 35 seats

Aam Aadmi Party: 1 seat

Others: 1seat

 
Here is regionwise tally of seats expected as per the opinion poll.

 
(Expected seats)&nbsp;

Garhwal

BJP 22-24 ( 23)

CONG 15-17 ( 16)

AAP 0-1 ( 1)

OTH 0-1 (1)

Kumaun

BJP 9-11 (10)

CONG 18-20 (19)

AAP 0-1 (0)

OTH 0 (0)

&nbsp;

Regionwise vote-share expected as per the opinion poll

Garhwal

BJP: 43 %

Congress:&nbsp; 38 %

AAP: 14 %

OTH: 5 %

Kumaun

BJP: 38 %

Congress:&nbsp;42 %

AAP: 10 %

Others: 10 %

&nbsp;

Whom do people of Uttarakhand prefer as the next chief minister?

Gharwal

Pushkar Singh Dhami (BJP): 23 %

Harish Rawat (Congress): 43 %

Anil Balooni (BJP): 17 %

Col Ajay Kothiyal ( AAP) &nbsp;8%

Others:&nbsp; 9 %

Kumaun

Pushkar Singh Dham (BJP): 26 %

Harish Rawat (Congress): 41 %

Anil Balooni (BJP): 14 %

Col Ajay Kothiyal (AAP): 10 %

Others:&nbsp;9 % 
&nbsp;

India is entering a major electoral fray in the year 2022 with elections taking place in five states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa, and Manipur. The Election Commission of India has announced dates of the polling few days ago.

India is entering a major electoral fray in the year 2022 with elections taking place in five states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa, and Manipur. The Election Commission of India has announced dates of the polling few days ago. Zee News has conducted an opinion poll to predict voters' mood in all these states. ‘Janta Ka Mood’ (Mood of the electorate) has been billed as the biggest opinion poll as it has received responses from over 10 lakh people from these states. As per the opinion poll, the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand appears to be headed for a close fight between Indian PM Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposing Indian National Congress. The state is currently ruled by the BJP. Polling in Uttarakhand has been scheduled to take place on February 14. The opinion poll revealed that these were the issues people of Uttarakhand were more concerned about Uttarakhand Opinion Poll: Most important issue Unemployment: 23% Land Law: 14% Migration: 13% Electricity/Water/Roads: 21 % Health Care: 10% Other issues: 9% The unicameral Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly has 70 seats. This is how the seats are expected to be won by parties in upcoming elections Uttarakhand Overall opinion poll BJP: 33 seats Congress: 35 seats Aam Aadmi Party: 1 seat Others: 1seat Here is regionwise tally of seats expected as per the opinion poll. (Expected seats) Garhwal BJP 22-24 ( 23) CONG 15-17 ( 16) AAP 0-1 ( 1) OTH 0-1 (1) Kumaun BJP 9-11 (10) CONG 18-20 (19) AAP 0-1 (0) OTH 0 (0) Regionwise vote-share expected as per the opinion poll Garhwal BJP: 43 % Congress: 38 % AAP: 14 % OTH: 5 % Kumaun BJP: 38 % Congress: 42 % AAP: 10 % Others: 10 % Whom do people of Uttarakhand prefer as the next chief minister? Gharwal Pushkar Singh Dhami (BJP): 23 % Harish Rawat (Congress): 43 % Anil Balooni (BJP): 17 % Col Ajay Kothiyal ( AAP) 8% Others: 9 % Kumaun Pushkar Singh Dham (BJP): 26 % Harish Rawat (Congress): 41 % Anil Balooni (BJP): 14 % Col Ajay Kothiyal (AAP): 10 % Others: 9 %

Uttarakhand elections 2022: Zee News opinion poll predicts close contest between BJP and Congress

It is not without significance that Delhi’s chief minister Arvind Kejriwal ended his victory acceptance speech by thanking Lord Hanuman and loudly shouting Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Vande Matram and Inquilab Zindabad. One can say that a significant shift in Indian politics has taken place.&nbsp;

From competitive minoritism, politics has moved to competitive Hindutva where different shades of ideology&nbsp;are available in political market and politicians, even if profoundly secular, have ensured that they do not get accused as anti-Hindu in the political discourse.&nbsp;

This indeed is a new reality of Indian politics which today stands internalised by the non-BJP parties as well. Many experts would say that it is tactical in nature, but the fact remains that Kejriwal publicly acknowledged it.

Delhi’s results can be divided neatly into four parts.

First, AAP’s campaign was positive in nature and all-inclusive. AAP refused to become part of BJP’s vicious campaign to polarise the electorate. AAP avoided the trap. Arvind Kejriwal neither went to JNU nor Jamia. He extended his support to the students but never became part of the protest. In fact, one can say that life came a full circle in Indian politics. BJP supported Anna Hazare’s campaign against BJP but did not overtly adopt it. BJP won a handsome mandate in 2014. AAP, on the other hand, supported the students of JNU and Shaheen Bagh, but did not adopt the campaign. The verdict of the 2020 Assembly Elections speaks volumes about it. What is even more important is that unlike Rahul Gandhi who got accused of soft Hindutva, no one seemed to have mind Arvind Kejriwal’s recitation of Hanuman Chalisa during the campaign.

The second important aspect was the complete failure of BJP’s politics of nationalism and polarisation. BJP can take consolation in the fact that they were able to increase the vote bank, but it could not translate into numbers. BJP got a massive drubbing. Despite deploying a number of ministers, BJP did not catch the imagination of the public. BJP has been out of power in Delhi since&nbsp;1998.&nbsp;

This is the 5th election which BJP has lost in Delhi. BJP has swept Delhi twice during Lok Sabha elections, but failed in Assembly Elections. It raises the question as to why BJP tried to use national issues to fight local elections. BJP could not win previous state elections despite raising issues like abrogation of Article 370 and CAA. BJP tried to use Shaheen Bagh as an object of polarisation but failed to do so. The primary reason was that the protesters at Shaheen Bagh were using the constitution as a symbol of protests and did not allow the slogans to become overtly religious. BJP did consolidate its core vote and gained but could not replace the imagination of Kejriwal who fought elections on civic issues. In fact, results mark the homecoming of Bijali Pani issues in electoral politics. People of Delhi responded to the policies of Kejriwal and his consistent message of development which BJP could not counter. BJP also did not have a chief ministerial candidate which added to the problem.

The third aspect of Delhi’s election is the return of the regional parties. BJP swept state after state post-2014 Lok Sabha elections. BJP seemed invincible. After 2019 results and abrogation of Article 370, experts believed that it would be next to impossible to hold back BJP. But then came the shock - BJP fell short of a majority in Haryana and Shiv Sena ditched them in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena eloped with Congress and NCP, and consequently, BJP had to rope in JJP which ran a vicious campaign against BJP.&nbsp;

Even in Jharkhand, BJP lost the elections. It is for this reason that results in Delhi become important. Instead of Congress, regional parties have emerged as a bulwark against BJP in national and state politics. For the next two years, BJP would be duelling with regional satraps in state elections. Be it the case of Bihar, West Bengal or Uttar Pradesh, the biggest national party Congress is in no position to defeat BJP. On the other hand, regional satraps like Kejriwal, Mamta Banerjee, Jagan Mohan Reddy and K Chandrashekhar Rao have emerged as big players. Even Udhav Thackery can be counted in the same league despite running a coalition government with NCP and the Congress in Maharashtra. During the 1970s, no national party could match Indira Gandhi’s might. Regional parties had to come together, merge and create something bigger to stop Indira Gandhi.&nbsp;

National parties like Jan Sangh and Swatantra Party were too weak to do so. Today, both Left and Congress are no match to Narendra Modi and regional parties like AAP, TMC and DMK are the ones standing between Narendra Modi and his ambitions.

Lastly, Delhi’s elections also show the death of Congress in India’s capital. It also demonstrated the irrelevance of Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. Congress is not only a spent force in this election, but it has also become irrelevant in the scheme of things. This also casts a shadow on Rahul Gandhi’s leadership potential once again who has been trying to get back at helms of affairs. Delhi’s results will impact the ability of the Congress to manoeuvre regional parties in Rajya Sabha in the second part of the Budget Session where the important bill would be tabled. So, the question is can Congress reinvent without Gandhis? Can Delhi show the way to the Congress leaders and push them to take the courageous step to create new and vibrant Congress without Gandhis. These are the questions which congress must address.

To sum it up with a joke on Twitter: BJP = Ram Mandir, AAP = Hanuman Mandir and Congress = Old Mandir. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

It is not without significance that Delhi’s chief minister Arvind Kejriwal ended his victory acceptance speech by thanking Lord Hanuman and loudly shouting Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Vande Matram and Inquilab Zindabad.

It is not without significance that Delhi’s chief minister Arvind Kejriwal ended his victory acceptance speech by thanking Lord Hanuman and loudly shouting Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Vande Matram and Inquilab Zindabad. One can say that a significant shift in Indian politics has taken place. From competitive minoritism, politics has moved to competitive Hindutva where different shades of ideology are available in political market and politicians, even if profoundly secular, have ensured that they do not get accused as anti-Hindu in the political discourse. This indeed is a new reality of Indian politics which today stands internalised by the non-BJP parties as well. Many experts would say that it is tactical in nature, but the fact remains that Kejriwal publicly acknowledged it. Delhi’s results can be divided neatly into four parts. First, AAP’s campaign was positive in nature and all-inclusive. AAP refused to become part of BJP’s vicious campaign to polarise the electorate. AAP avoided the trap. Arvind Kejriwal neither went to JNU nor Jamia. He extended his support to the students but never became part of the protest. In fact, one can say that life came a full circle in Indian politics. BJP supported Anna Hazare’s campaign against BJP but did not overtly adopt it. BJP won a handsome mandate in 2014. AAP, on the other hand, supported the students of JNU and Shaheen Bagh, but did not adopt the campaign. The verdict of the 2020 Assembly Elections speaks volumes about it. What is even more important is that unlike Rahul Gandhi who got accused of soft Hindutva, no one seemed to have mind Arvind Kejriwal’s recitation of Hanuman Chalisa during the campaign. The second important aspect was the complete failure of BJP’s politics of nationalism and polarisation. BJP can take consolation in the fact that they were able to increase the vote bank, but it could not translate into numbers. BJP got a massive drubbing. Despite deploying a number of ministers, BJP did not catch the imagination of the public. BJP has been out of power in Delhi since 1998. This is the 5th election which BJP has lost in Delhi. BJP has swept Delhi twice during Lok Sabha elections, but failed in Assembly Elections. It raises the question as to why BJP tried to use national issues to fight local elections. BJP could not win previous state elections despite raising issues like abrogation of Article 370 and CAA. BJP tried to use Shaheen Bagh as an object of polarisation but failed to do so. The primary reason was that the protesters at Shaheen Bagh were using the constitution as a symbol of protests and did not allow the slogans to become overtly religious. BJP did consolidate its core vote and gained but could not replace the imagination of Kejriwal who fought elections on civic issues. In fact, results mark the homecoming of Bijali Pani issues in electoral politics. People of Delhi responded to the policies of Kejriwal and his consistent message of development which BJP could not counter. BJP also did not have a chief ministerial candidate which added to the problem. The third aspect of Delhi’s election is the return of the regional parties. BJP swept state after state post-2014 Lok Sabha elections. BJP seemed invincible. After 2019 results and abrogation of Article 370, experts believed that it would be next to impossible to hold back BJP. But then came the shock - BJP fell short of a majority in Haryana and Shiv Sena ditched them in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena eloped with Congress and NCP, and consequently, BJP had to rope in JJP which ran a vicious campaign against BJP. Even in Jharkhand, BJP lost the elections. It is for this reason that results in Delhi become important. Instead of Congress, regional parties have emerged as a bulwark against BJP in national and state politics. For the next two years, BJP would be duelling with regional satraps in state elections. Be it the case of Bihar, West Bengal or Uttar Pradesh, the biggest national party Congress is in no position to defeat BJP. On the other hand, regional satraps like Kejriwal, Mamta Banerjee, Jagan Mohan Reddy and K Chandrashekhar Rao have emerged as big players. Even Udhav Thackery can be counted in the same league despite running a coalition government with NCP and the Congress in Maharashtra. During the 1970s, no national party could match Indira Gandhi’s might. Regional parties had to come together, merge and create something bigger to stop Indira Gandhi. National parties like Jan Sangh and Swatantra Party were too weak to do so. Today, both Left and Congress are no match to Narendra Modi and regional parties like AAP, TMC and DMK are the ones standing between Narendra Modi and his ambitions. Lastly, Delhi’s elections also show the death of Congress in India’s capital. It also demonstrated the irrelevance of Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. Congress is not only a spent force in this election, but it has also become irrelevant in the scheme of things. This also casts a shadow on Rahul Gandhi’s leadership potential once again who has been trying to get back at helms of affairs. Delhi’s results will impact the ability of the Congress to manoeuvre regional parties in Rajya Sabha in the second part of the Budget Session where the important bill would be tabled. So, the question is can Congress reinvent without Gandhis? Can Delhi show the way to the Congress leaders and push them to take the courageous step to create new and vibrant Congress without Gandhis. These are the questions which congress must address. To sum it up with a joke on Twitter: BJP = Ram Mandir, AAP = Hanuman Mandir and Congress = Old Mandir. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Thank you, Hanuman Ji: Why AAP swept Delhi

Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/how-the-bjp-lost-ground-in-jharkhand-271651">BJP</a> candidate from Hari Nagar constituency on Tuesday said that his party will win more than 50 seats in the Delhi Assembly polls.

"BJP will win more than 50 seats in the upcoming Assembly elections, Kejriwal ji is afraid of this. That is why documents were burnt at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-dtc-buses-torched-as-protests-against-citizenship-act-turn-violent-268397">Delhi Transport Corporation</a> (DTC) office, 15 days before the polls," Bagga told ANI.

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday released the second list of 10 candidates for Delhi polls.

Bagga is in the fray against Aam Aadmi Party's Princess Dhillon and Congress' Surender Sethi.

Voting for the 70-member Delhi assembly will be held on February 8.

The counting of votes will take place on February 11.

The BJP faces a tough battle in Delhi where it has been out of power for over two decades. The party could win only three seats in the last assembly polls with the ruling <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/aap-govt-constructed-20k-new-classrooms-in-5-years-says-arvind-kejriwal-273224">AAP</a> scoring a landslide victory with 67 seats.

Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, BJP candidate from Hari Nagar constituency on Tuesday said that his party will win more than 50 seats in the Delhi Assembly polls. "BJP will win more than 50 seats in the upcoming Assembly elections, Kejriwal ji is afraid of this.

Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, BJP candidate from Hari Nagar constituency on Tuesday said that his party will win more than 50 seats in the Delhi Assembly polls. "BJP will win more than 50 seats in the upcoming Assembly elections, Kejriwal ji is afraid of this. That is why documents were burnt at Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) office, 15 days before the polls," Bagga told ANI. The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday released the second list of 10 candidates for Delhi polls. Bagga is in the fray against Aam Aadmi Party's Princess Dhillon and Congress' Surender Sethi. Voting for the 70-member Delhi assembly will be held on February 8. The counting of votes will take place on February 11. The BJP faces a tough battle in Delhi where it has been out of power for over two decades. The party could win only three seats in the last assembly polls with the ruling AAP scoring a landslide victory with 67 seats.

BJP will win more than 50 seats in Delhi polls: Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga

The voter turnout in thirteen <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jharkhand-assembly-elections-first-phase-of-polling-13-seats-begins-265332">Assembly constituencies</a> in Jharkhand stood at 46.83 per cent till 1 pm on Saturday, according to the Election Commission of India. 
 
The first phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections is underway. The elections will be held in five phases and the results will be declared on December 23. 
 
People in thirteen constituencies spread over six districts,&nbsp;Chatra, Palamu, Gumla, Garhwa, Latehar, and Lohardagga,&nbsp;will elect their representatives. 
The majority of the constituencies where polling is being held are in Naxal affected areas. 
 
Over 37 lakh electorate, who are <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-janshakti-party-releases-third-list-of-24-candidates-for-jharkhand-assembly-polls-264865">eligible to exercise their franchise</a>, will decide the electoral fortune of 189 candidates, including 15 women candidates in the first phase of Assembly elections. 
 
Security has been beefed up in these constituencies and adequate arrangements have been made at all polling booths.

The voter turnout in thirteen Assembly constituencies in Jharkhand stood at 46.83 per cent till 1 pm on Saturday, according to the Election Commission of India. The first phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections is underway.

The voter turnout in thirteen Assembly constituencies in Jharkhand stood at 46.83 per cent till 1 pm on Saturday, according to the Election Commission of India. The first phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections is underway. The elections will be held in five phases and the results will be declared on December 23. People in thirteen constituencies spread over six districts, Chatra, Palamu, Gumla, Garhwa, Latehar, and Lohardagga, will elect their representatives. The majority of the constituencies where polling is being held are in Naxal affected areas. Over 37 lakh electorate, who are eligible to exercise their franchise, will decide the electoral fortune of 189 candidates, including 15 women candidates in the first phase of Assembly elections. Security has been beefed up in these constituencies and adequate arrangements have been made at all polling booths.

Jharkhand Assembly elections: 47 per cent voter turnout till 1 pm

Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) chief Dushyant Chautala, who will be taking oath as Haryana`s Deputy Chief Minister, said here on Saturday that the presence of his father Ajay Chautala on the occasion, who has been granted 14-day furlough, will give strength to him.

"He has been granted 14-day furlough after the Model Code of Conduct ended on Friday. At the time of this change, he will strengthen us. For me, it is a matter of great happiness," said Chautala, while addressing media persons here after meeting Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya along with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

"The BJP-JJP has decided to give a stable government to Haryana that will work for five years," he said.

Ajay Chautala has been granted furlough and is expected to be out of Tihar jail on Sunday morning. Dushyant had on Friday met his father Ajay Chautala in Tihar jail complex.

The swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Chautala as Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana will take place at the Rajya Bhavan here at 2.15 pm on Sunday.

Along with them, the MLAs, who are going to be inducted into the Council of Ministers will also take the oath of office and secrecy.

Khattar, who is going to head the state government for the second consecutive term, along with JJP chief Chautala met Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya and staked the claim to form the government with the support of 57-MLAs in 90-member Haryana Assembly including 7 independent MLAs.

In the recently concluded Assembly poll for Haryana`s 90-member Assembly, BJP has won 40 seats, and JJP 10.

The Congress has bagged 31 seats. People have elected eight independents as their MLAs while INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala is the lone MLA of his party.&nbsp;

Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) chief Dushyant Chautala, who will be taking oath as Haryana`s Deputy Chief Minister, said here on Saturday that the presence of his father Ajay Chautala on the occasion, who has been granted 14-day furlough, will give strength to him.

Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) chief Dushyant Chautala, who will be taking oath as Haryana`s Deputy Chief Minister, said here on Saturday that the presence of his father Ajay Chautala on the occasion, who has been granted 14-day furlough, will give strength to him. "He has been granted 14-day furlough after the Model Code of Conduct ended on Friday. At the time of this change, he will strengthen us. For me, it is a matter of great happiness," said Chautala, while addressing media persons here after meeting Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya along with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. "The BJP-JJP has decided to give a stable government to Haryana that will work for five years," he said. Ajay Chautala has been granted furlough and is expected to be out of Tihar jail on Sunday morning. Dushyant had on Friday met his father Ajay Chautala in Tihar jail complex. The swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Chautala as Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana will take place at the Rajya Bhavan here at 2.15 pm on Sunday. Along with them, the MLAs, who are going to be inducted into the Council of Ministers will also take the oath of office and secrecy. Khattar, who is going to head the state government for the second consecutive term, along with JJP chief Chautala met Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya and staked the claim to form the government with the support of 57-MLAs in 90-member Haryana Assembly including 7 independent MLAs. In the recently concluded Assembly poll for Haryana`s 90-member Assembly, BJP has won 40 seats, and JJP 10. The Congress has bagged 31 seats. People have elected eight independents as their MLAs while INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala is the lone MLA of his party.

My father's presence will provide strength to me: Dushyant Chautala

It is high time that such a charade is put to an end forever. Election after election, the absurd pretence has been thrust on the people in the form of the so-called exit polls and countless hours of mundane analysis on something which is a far cry from reality. Soon after the polling is over, broadcasting channels go gung ho-over their predictable election outcome without any iota of shame when they are so off the mark when the final results come in.

In a country as vast as India, is it advisable to bank on the opinion of a few voters leaving a polling station after they have cast their vote? What is the guarantee that the voter is not lying? Moreover, in many instances, it has been found that there is a pronounced contrasting pattern of voting in constituencies. Do the media channels cover each and every constituency? Importantly, a very small sample of population is covered for exit poll and a very few constituencies are targeted. Predicting the results of an election with around 900 million voters is awfully difficult. This is the reason why there is a boomerang effect on such predictions.

The case in point is the 2004 Exit Polls when almost all the major television channels went horribly wrong when they predicted the return of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s NDA government. To their shock, the Congress-led UPA emerged victorious. Again in the Delhi assembly elections in 2015, the predicted victory margin of the Aam Aadmi Party was nowhere close to the reality when it bagged 60 of the 70 assembly seats. And in the latest case, all pollsters, except the India Today, predicted the humungous victory of the Manohar Lal Khattar government between 71 to 80 seats in the 90-member House. The performance of Khattar-led Bharatiya Janata Party was nowhere close to the expectations as it could not even achieve a simple majority leading to the hung house. The Congress, which most exit polls predicted to win between 11-12 seats, went on to win 31 seats.

What has often been seen that a media channel propounding the cause of a particular political party tends to defend as well as predicting its victory? And when the shocking election results are announced, the channel would not eat the crow. It is an open secret that most of the Indian media channels, barring a very few, are biased and they tend to overzealously favour a particular political party (no prizes for guessing), often jeopardising their authenticity.

When the ludicrous exit polls are beamed, it has a cascading effect. Besides the usual spectacle in the news channels, there is eruption on social media. They too join the party, take over from the channels and start expressing their political views. Amidst all this frenzy, who gets martyred? Investors! The stock exchanges too react to the exit polls and sometimes a fortune is wiped out. The markets open disastrously if a defeat is predicted for the incumbent ruling party or the possibility of a rag-tag coalition government.&nbsp;

Given the vast difference between the predicted and actual results, these Exit Polls should do well to widen their sample size to arrive at a more realistic opinion.

&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

It is high time that such a charade is put to an end forever. Election after election, the absurd pretence has been thrust on the people in the form of the so-called exit polls and countless hours of mundane analysis on something which is a far cry from reality.

It is high time that such a charade is put to an end forever. Election after election, the absurd pretence has been thrust on the people in the form of the so-called exit polls and countless hours of mundane analysis on something which is a far cry from reality. Soon after the polling is over, broadcasting channels go gung ho-over their predictable election outcome without any iota of shame when they are so off the mark when the final results come in. In a country as vast as India, is it advisable to bank on the opinion of a few voters leaving a polling station after they have cast their vote? What is the guarantee that the voter is not lying? Moreover, in many instances, it has been found that there is a pronounced contrasting pattern of voting in constituencies. Do the media channels cover each and every constituency? Importantly, a very small sample of population is covered for exit poll and a very few constituencies are targeted. Predicting the results of an election with around 900 million voters is awfully difficult. This is the reason why there is a boomerang effect on such predictions. The case in point is the 2004 Exit Polls when almost all the major television channels went horribly wrong when they predicted the return of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s NDA government. To their shock, the Congress-led UPA emerged victorious. Again in the Delhi assembly elections in 2015, the predicted victory margin of the Aam Aadmi Party was nowhere close to the reality when it bagged 60 of the 70 assembly seats. And in the latest case, all pollsters, except the India Today, predicted the humungous victory of the Manohar Lal Khattar government between 71 to 80 seats in the 90-member House. The performance of Khattar-led Bharatiya Janata Party was nowhere close to the expectations as it could not even achieve a simple majority leading to the hung house. The Congress, which most exit polls predicted to win between 11-12 seats, went on to win 31 seats. What has often been seen that a media channel propounding the cause of a particular political party tends to defend as well as predicting its victory? And when the shocking election results are announced, the channel would not eat the crow. It is an open secret that most of the Indian media channels, barring a very few, are biased and they tend to overzealously favour a particular political party (no prizes for guessing), often jeopardising their authenticity. When the ludicrous exit polls are beamed, it has a cascading effect. Besides the usual spectacle in the news channels, there is eruption on social media. They too join the party, take over from the channels and start expressing their political views. Amidst all this frenzy, who gets martyred? Investors! The stock exchanges too react to the exit polls and sometimes a fortune is wiped out. The markets open disastrously if a defeat is predicted for the incumbent ruling party or the possibility of a rag-tag coalition government. Given the vast difference between the predicted and actual results, these Exit Polls should do well to widen their sample size to arrive at a more realistic opinion. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Why Exit Polls in India often go wrong?

Major Highlights From Assembly Elections Results In Maharashtra & Haryana.

Gravitas: Assembly Elections Results 2019: Key Takeaways

The stage is set for counting of votes for assembly polls in Haryana and Maharashtra on Thursday with stakes high for Congress, which could not do well in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year and also for the BJP, which is incumbent in the two states.

Along with the two states, results will also be declared for assembly bypolls on 51 seats across 17 states and will have political implications for the parties in power.

The results of bypolls to Satara and Samastipur Lok Sabha seats will also be declared on Thursday.

The assembly poll results will also be crucial for the NCP in Maharashtra, which is an ally of Congress, as also for parties such as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, AIMIM and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi.

In Haryana also, the battle is crucial for regional parties such as the Indian National Lok Dal and the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP).&nbsp;

The BSP has also fielded candidates in the two states.&nbsp;

The exit polls have predicted the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance getting elected in Maharashtra but have differed in their projection of a number of seats.

Most exit polls have also predicted a clear victory for BJP in Haryana. One exit poll, however, has said that the two parties are in a close race in the state and none of them would get a majority. The BJP will create history if it again wins Haryana and returns to power with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.

The assembly elections are the first after the BJP-led government`s decisions to repeal Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and a verdict in its favour will give a boost to the party ahead of the winter session of Parliament next month.

A victory will also keep the political momentum with the BJP after its emphatic victory in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.&nbsp;

The polls are crucial for Congress which has faced desertions after its second successive debacle in the Lok Sabha polls. A strong performance will help the party in its process of electoral revival.

The BJP has already declared that incumbent chief ministers - Manohar Lal Khattar and Devendra Fadnavis - will continue to lead the governments if the party is voted to power. The voting took place in the two states and in the bypoll seats on Monday.

The stage is set for counting of votes for assembly polls in Haryana and Maharashtra on Thursday with stakes high for Congress, which could not do well in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year and also for the BJP, which is incumbent in the two states.

The stage is set for counting of votes for assembly polls in Haryana and Maharashtra on Thursday with stakes high for Congress, which could not do well in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year and also for the BJP, which is incumbent in the two states. Along with the two states, results will also be declared for assembly bypolls on 51 seats across 17 states and will have political implications for the parties in power. The results of bypolls to Satara and Samastipur Lok Sabha seats will also be declared on Thursday. The assembly poll results will also be crucial for the NCP in Maharashtra, which is an ally of Congress, as also for parties such as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, AIMIM and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi. In Haryana also, the battle is crucial for regional parties such as the Indian National Lok Dal and the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP). The BSP has also fielded candidates in the two states. The exit polls have predicted the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance getting elected in Maharashtra but have differed in their projection of a number of seats. Most exit polls have also predicted a clear victory for BJP in Haryana. One exit poll, however, has said that the two parties are in a close race in the state and none of them would get a majority. The BJP will create history if it again wins Haryana and returns to power with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. The assembly elections are the first after the BJP-led government`s decisions to repeal Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and a verdict in its favour will give a boost to the party ahead of the winter session of Parliament next month. A victory will also keep the political momentum with the BJP after its emphatic victory in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The polls are crucial for Congress which has faced desertions after its second successive debacle in the Lok Sabha polls. A strong performance will help the party in its process of electoral revival. The BJP has already declared that incumbent chief ministers - Manohar Lal Khattar and Devendra Fadnavis - will continue to lead the governments if the party is voted to power. The voting took place in the two states and in the bypoll seats on Monday.

Counting of votes on Thursday in Haryana, Maharashtra; stakes high for Congress, BJP  

BJP Tipped To Win Assembly Elections In Maharashtra & Haryana. BJP in both the states. Krishna Kumar summarises the predictions of exit polls

Gravitas: Assembly Polls: Exit polls hint at a landslide victory for BJP

Post exit poll projections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership is a confident lot as they feel that the party is on its way to retain its governments in both Maharashtra and Haryana.

Speaking to ANI, Haryana in charge and Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar stated that exit polls are somewhat matching BJP`s pre-polls assessment that it will return to power with over two-third majority.

"BJP has been saying that we are contesting elections on the issue of development and performance of our incumbent governments. Maharashtra government performance was excellent and Haryana got a corruption-free and honest government after a long time," Tomar said.

"Haryana residents have forgotten that there is a quality called honesty in the government and BJP had to gain from its honest image. Voters are getting aware and voting for Narendra Modi and for Nation," Tomar added.&nbsp;

The results for the Assembly polls will be declared on October 24, while the polling for the two states took place on Monday.

The senior minister also claimed that the BJP did not have a viable competitor in these polls.&nbsp;

"People have voted on issues of policies, performance and principles. They rose above narrow-minded politics of caste and voted for BJP. Opposition was not even a factor," he said.

Pointing towards this lack of concerted opposition efforts in these polls, he said, "On different seats, we faced competition from different parties. On some Jannayak Janata Party gave us competition, whereas on the others INLD and Congress candidates posed a challenge."

The senior leader outrightly rejected claims by former chief minister and Congress leader BS Hooda that the Congress was forming the government with an absolute majority.

"Hooda ji ka jijaji prem poore Haryana ko maloom hai. (Everyone in Haryana knows Hooda`s love for his brother-in-law), " he added.

Talking about position of opposition in the polls, Rattan Lal Kataria, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, who hails from Haryana, said, "If you add zero to the earlier performance of zero, you will get a zero. If you say it a better performance, then so be it. And even Congress will lose seats. I am from Ambala Lok Sabha constituency. My Lok Sabha has seen hattrick. All 9 Assembly seats have come to BJP and I can assure you even this fourth time, we will get all 9 seats."Kataria thinks the many top leaders of Opposition barring one or two had joined BJP ahead of polls.

"We want a strong opposition in democratic setup, but opposition was marred by its internal feud," stated the minister.&nbsp;

Post exit poll projections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership is a confident lot as they feel that the party is on its way to retain its governments in both Maharashtra and Haryana.

Post exit poll projections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership is a confident lot as they feel that the party is on its way to retain its governments in both Maharashtra and Haryana. Speaking to ANI, Haryana in charge and Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar stated that exit polls are somewhat matching BJP`s pre-polls assessment that it will return to power with over two-third majority. "BJP has been saying that we are contesting elections on the issue of development and performance of our incumbent governments. Maharashtra government performance was excellent and Haryana got a corruption-free and honest government after a long time," Tomar said. "Haryana residents have forgotten that there is a quality called honesty in the government and BJP had to gain from its honest image. Voters are getting aware and voting for Narendra Modi and for Nation," Tomar added. The results for the Assembly polls will be declared on October 24, while the polling for the two states took place on Monday. The senior minister also claimed that the BJP did not have a viable competitor in these polls. "People have voted on issues of policies, performance and principles. They rose above narrow-minded politics of caste and voted for BJP. Opposition was not even a factor," he said. Pointing towards this lack of concerted opposition efforts in these polls, he said, "On different seats, we faced competition from different parties. On some Jannayak Janata Party gave us competition, whereas on the others INLD and Congress candidates posed a challenge." The senior leader outrightly rejected claims by former chief minister and Congress leader BS Hooda that the Congress was forming the government with an absolute majority. "Hooda ji ka jijaji prem poore Haryana ko maloom hai. (Everyone in Haryana knows Hooda`s love for his brother-in-law), " he added. Talking about position of opposition in the polls, Rattan Lal Kataria, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, who hails from Haryana, said, "If you add zero to the earlier performance of zero, you will get a zero. If you say it a better performance, then so be it. And even Congress will lose seats. I am from Ambala Lok Sabha constituency. My Lok Sabha has seen hattrick. All 9 Assembly seats have come to BJP and I can assure you even this fourth time, we will get all 9 seats."Kataria thinks the many top leaders of Opposition barring one or two had joined BJP ahead of polls. "We want a strong opposition in democratic setup, but opposition was marred by its internal feud," stated the minister.

Maharashtra, Haryana polls: BJP upbeat ahead of results, says opposition marred by infighting