To a lesser or greater degree as compared to other states, the caste factor in Rajasthan will be an important determinant in the forthcoming Assembly election. Every major leader, be it Vasundhara Raje or Sachin Pilot or Ashok Gehlot, is aware of the possibilities that a proper combination can result in, and is straining every nerve to get it right.

Caste politics rules the roost in Rajasthan assembly elections 2018

With elections in states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram just months away the Congress scion’s trek to the holy site is being seen as yet another ‘temple-run’ by his opponents in the BJP.

Opinion: Will 'Shiv-bhakti' save the Congress?

While Congress has almost finalised its list of candidates for 115 seats out of a total of 230, insiders in the state unit say that the party is likely to alienate many district units and booth level workers because of the way candidates were selected.

Congress is on shaky ground in Madhya Pradesh

In terms of optics, the crossing over of veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh’s son, Manvendra Singh, to the Congress just weeks ahead of an Assembly election, is somewhat of an embarrassment for the BJP and a delight for the Congress.

Manvendra Singh's induction a delight for Congress

The battle for Rajasthan is not only an electoral contest between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is also a fight for supremacy among the heavyweight state leaders belonging to the two parties.

In Rajasthan, it’s the local leadership that matters

After remaining in power for 15-years, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is confronted with double anti-incumbency in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, whereas the major opposition Congress, which was ready to forge an alliance with both the BSP and Samajwadi Party in the midst of the hype generated recently over the prospects of a grand alliance to take on the BJP in the 2019 parliamentary election, has been left alone in the two central Indian states now in the grip of poll fever.

Anti-incumbency stares BJP in the face in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh

Electioneering is yet to pick up and touch the feverish pitch in Madhya Pradesh, especially as the two principal rivals – ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress - have remained caught in the grip of the ticket distribution exercise with claimants and their supporters flocking to camps identified with state party leaders.

BJP, Congress caught in quagmire of ticket distribution ahead of Assembly polls

Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan will conduct elections to their legislative assemblies over the next seven weeks. Chhattisgarh will be the first to switch on the electronic voting machines (November 12) and will be followed by MP (November 28) and Rajasthan (December 7).

Three states, one empirical test and one decisive answer

The semifinals for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections are well and truly on. Five states are going to elect their new Vidhan Sabhas in next month or so, and three of these states belong to the critical Hindi heartland.

Will Congress blunder again by making Assembly elections a Rahul vs Modi battle?

With dates for five Assembly elections announced, all eyes are focused on the two large and politically crucial states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. However, it’s the smallest one in the list, Mizoram, which holds the key to whether the Congress will be able to retain even its depleted presence in the Northeast, or whether the Bharatiya Janata Party will sustain its recent successes in the region.

Mizoram polls more crucial for Congress than BJP