Election Commission Announces Dates For Polls In Five States
Election Commission declares polling dates in the five states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Telengana
The Election Commission today announced that the states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telengana and Mizoram will go to the polls over a one-month period starting mid-November. Counting of votes across all states will be held on Dec.11.
In a press conference, chairman OP Rawat announced the polling dates for the five states as follows:
Chhattisgarh
Phase 1
- Date of notification: Oct. 16
- Last date for nominations: Oct. 23
- Scrutiny of nominations: Oct. 24
- Last date for withdrawal: Oct. 26
- Poll: Nov. 12
Phase 2
- Date of notification: Oct. 26
- Last date for nominations: Nov. 2
- Scrutiny of nominations: Nov. 3
- Last date for withdrawal: Nov. 5
- Poll: Nov. 20
Madhya Pradesh & Mizoram (Single Phase)
- Date of notification: Nov. 2
- Last date for nominations- Nov. 9
- Scrutiny of nominations: Nov. 12
- Last date for withdrawal: Nov. 14
- Poll: Nov. 28
Telangana & Rajasthan (Single Phase)
- Polling Date: Dec. 7
Semi Finals Before Battle 2019
Polls in the states of MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan will be seen as a testing ground of the national mood before general elections in 2019, as the Congress is the primary challenger to the BJP in all three states.
The BJP has ruled in MP and Chhattisgarh for 15 years and has popular chief ministers in Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Raman Singh respectively. In Rajasthan the Congress hope to ride the anti incumbency wave against sitting Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
Telangana - Uncharted Territory
The State of Telangana will see a head-on fight between Telangana's first chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and an alliance between the Congress, the TDP and other regional parties.
Telangana assembly elections were due to be held with the general elections in 2019, but K Chandrashekhar Rao dissolved the assembly prematurely.
Mizoram - A Full Seven For BJP?
Assembly elections in Mizoram will see the Congress fight to retain the last of the seven north eastern states.
The BJP now rules by itself, or with allies, in six of the seven states and hopes to continue its political expansion in the North East with a win in Mizoram.