English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

Finally, EC declares Gujarat polls for Dec 9 and 14, result on Dec 18

Published

9 years ago

on

AK Joti

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Amid allegations of delaying announcement of poll schedule at the behest of the BJP, Chief Election Commissioner AK Joti declared a two-phase election for Gujarat on Wednesday

Finally, Chief Election Commissioner AK Joti announced the schedule for the Gujarat Assembly polls on Wednesday. The BJP-ruled state will go to polls in two phases, the first scheduled for December 9 when 89 seats will see polling while the remaining 93 constituencies will witness voting on December 14. The model code of conduct for Gujarat elections has come into effect with the announcement of the polling dates.

The result for the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be declared on December 18 along with those for the 68-member Himachal Pradesh Assembly for which elections are scheduled to be held onNovember 9.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Joti had been under attack from the Opposition parties since October 12 when he announced the poll schedule for the Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh but deferred declaring the election dates for Gujarat. The Congress has maintained that Joti’s decision to delay announcing the Gujarat election was the result of pressure from the BJP leadership and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a bid to help the saffron party announce sops for voters in the western state that has been under BJP-rule for nearly 22 years.

On Wednesday, Joti said that all electronic voting machines in Gujarat, like in Himachal Pradesh, will be equipped with voter verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) to help voters cross-check whether the vote cast by them has been registered against their favoured candidate or not.

In a first, the Election Commission will also set up one polling station in each of the 182 assembly constituencies of Gujarat to be managed entirely by women staff, including polling officials and security personnel.

The last date for filing of nominations by candidates for the first phase of polling has been set for November 21 while last date for withdrawal of nominations for this phase will be November 24. Similarly, for the second phase of polling, the last date for filing nominations is November 27 and for withdrawal is November 30.

Both Gujarat and Himachal are expected to see a direct clash between the Congress and the BJP. While a India Today-Axis Opinion poll, declared on Tuesday, claims that the BJP is looking at a comfortable victory in both these states – ousting the Congress from Himachal while retaining Gujarat – several political analysts have disputed the report, claiming that the BJP may not really have an easy victory in Gujarat while the Congress could retain Himachal.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]In the 2012 assembly polls in these states, while the Congress had faced yet another defeat by the BJP in Gujarat, where the saffron party was led by then chief minister Narendra Modi, it had managed to score a win against the BJP in Himachal Pradesh paving the way for Virbhadra Singh to return to the chief minister’s office for a record sixth term.

In 2012, the BJP had won had won 115 of Gujarat’s 182 Assembly seats while the Congress was limited to just 61 seats. The NCP had bagged two seats while independents and other outfits got 4 seats. In the 68-member Himachal Pradesh Assembly, the Congress had bagged a majority with 36 seats while the BJP and independents won 26 and 6 seats respectively.

Despite opinion polls showing an easy win for the BJP in both the poll-bound states, the saffron party seems to be headed for a tough battle – perhaps its most difficult one in recent years – in Gujarat where it has dominated the political landscape for over two decades. The Congress is aggressively working towards stitching a rainbow coalition of communities that are seemingly unhappy with the BJP over their respective issues. If the party succeeds in getting a Dalit-Adivasi-Patel-Muslim alliance, with activist-politicians like Alpesh Thakore (who has already joined the party), Jignesh Mevani and Hardik Patel to actively solicit votes for the Congress, then it may pose a formidable electoral challenge for the BJP in Gujarat.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

India News

Congress, BJP attack Bhagwant Mann over remarks on Punjab blasts

Congress and BJP have jointly criticised Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann after he linked recent blasts near defence sites to political motives, triggering a controversy.

Published

6 hours ago

on

May 6, 2026

By

Bhagwant Mann

A political row has erupted in Punjab after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann linked recent blast incidents to political motives, drawing sharp criticism from both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The controversy follows two low-intensity explosions reported within a short span of time — one near the Border Security Force (BSF) headquarters in Jalandhar and another close to an army cantonment area in Amritsar. The incidents raised concerns over security, particularly given the sensitive nature of the locations.

In response, Mann suggested that the blasts could be part of a larger political strategy. His remarks triggered a strong backlash, with opposition parties accusing him of politicising a serious security issue.

Leaders from the Congress criticised the Chief Minister’s statement, calling it inappropriate and alleging that such comments undermine the gravity of the situation. They stressed that matters related to national security should be handled with caution and responsibility.

The BJP also joined the criticism, questioning the basis of Mann’s claims and urging the state government to focus on investigation and law enforcement instead of making political allegations.

The developments have led to an unusual moment where both Congress and BJP appear aligned in their criticism of the Aam Aadmi Party-led government in the state.

Meanwhile, the blasts themselves have intensified concerns over safety in border regions, with authorities continuing their investigation into the incidents. No casualties were reported, but the proximity to defence establishments has made the issue particularly sensitive.

The episode has further escalated political tensions in the state, with security and accountability emerging as key points of debate.

Continue Reading

India News

Himanta Biswa Sarma resigns as Assam chief minister, oath ceremony likely after May 11

Himanta Biswa Sarma resigns as Assam Chief Minister after BJP-led NDA’s victory. He will continue as caretaker CM until the new government is sworn in after May 11.

Published

6 hours ago

on

May 6, 2026

By

Himanta sharma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma resigned from his post on Wednesday, paving the way for the formation of a new government after the BJP-led NDA secured a decisive victory in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Sarma submitted his resignation to Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya at Lok Bhawan in Guwahati. The Governor accepted the resignation and asked him to continue as the caretaker Chief Minister until the new government takes charge.

The resignation comes after the NDA’s strong electoral performance, where the alliance won a clear majority in the 126-member Assembly, ensuring its return to power for another term.

Oath ceremony expected after May 11

Speaking to reporters after submitting his resignation, Sarma said the swearing-in ceremony for the new government is likely to be held after May 11.

He indicated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to attend the ceremony but is unavailable until May 11, which has influenced the tentative schedule.

Decision on next chief minister soon

Sources suggest that central observers, including senior BJP leaders, are expected to arrive shortly to oversee the selection of the legislature party leader. The newly elected MLAs will then decide on the next Chief Minister.

Despite the formal resignation, party sources indicate that Sarma is likely to continue in the role for another term, given the BJP’s strong mandate in the state.

The move marks the beginning of the government formation process in Assam following the election results declared earlier this week.

Continue Reading

India News

Rahul Gandhi and Vijay alliance took shape through backchannel talks, early signals from Congress leaders

Congress outreach and political calculations led to Rahul Gandhi and Vijay coming together after the Tamil Nadu 2026 election results.

Published

7 hours ago

on

May 6, 2026

By

The coming together of Rahul Gandhi and actor-politician Vijay in Tamil Nadu after the 2026 Assembly elections was not sudden, but the result of behind-the-scenes political manoeuvring and early signals within the Congress.

According to media reports, some leaders in the Tamil Nadu Congress had already sensed the scale of Vijay’s surge during the campaign, anticipating what was later described as a “wave” in favour of his party.

After the results, where Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerged as the single largest party but fell short of a majority, communication channels between the Congress leadership and Vijay quickly became active.

A key moment in this evolving political equation was a phone call from Rahul Gandhi to Vijay, congratulating him on the party’s strong performance. The conversation was seen as more than a courtesy, signalling the possibility of cooperation at a time when government formation required additional support.

Reports indicate that discussions within Congress weighed the political benefits of supporting Vijay, especially given the shifting dynamics in the state where traditional dominance by major Dravidian parties has been challenged.

With TVK needing allies to cross the majority mark, Congress emerged as a potential partner, leading to a broader political realignment in the state. This development also triggered tensions within opposition alliances, highlighting the strategic importance of the decision.

The evolving partnership reflects a mix of electoral pragmatism and changing voter sentiment, particularly the growing influence of younger voters, which leaders acknowledged as a key factor in the election outcome.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com