New Delhi: From Northeast, Central to South India, assembly elections are going to be held in nine states this year. The high-stakes electoral battle taking place in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram will undoubtedly set the tone for the much-anticipated Lok Sabha battle of 2024 – the mother of all elections. While 2022 was a year in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued its political dominance (barring a few hiccups in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh), this year’s performance will determine whether it wins its third consecutive term. Will register electoral victory in 2024 general elections.
The BJP veteran, who has already started addressing rallies in the poll-bound states, wants to continue his last year’s momentum into 2023 and retain Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka and lead the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Bharatiya Janata Party in Telangana. The nations appear ready to oust the committee. Congress in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh
The main opposition party Congress, on the other hand, is currently riding high in the wake of its victory in the 2022 Himachal Pradesh assembly elections and huge public support for Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. The central leadership of the Congress, led by new party president Mallikarjun Kharge, is confident of giving a tough fight to an “invincible” BJP.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which ate into a major chunk of Congress votes in the recently concluded Gujarat elections, would like to make its presence felt in the elections due this year as well.
Here’s a look at the states that will vote in 2023:
Tripura Assembly Election
The term of the Tripura Assembly is due to end on March 22, and elections are expected around the same time. Earlier in 2018, the BJP swept the assembly elections by winning 35 seats in the 60-member assembly.
However, with the entry of Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, the upcoming elections will not be smooth sailing for the saffron party.
Meghalaya Assembly Election
The 2023 elections in Meghalaya are likely to be held in February or March as the term of the current assembly is set to expire on March 15. Biggest party. However, it failed to secure a majority to form the government.
The BJP, which won only two seats, then forged an alliance with the Konrad Sangma-led National People’s Party (NPP) to form the government. NPP got 20 seats. This year Meghalaya will see a triangular contest as the NPP has announced that it will go it alone.
nagaland assembly election
Nagaland assembly elections are also expected to be held in February or March. The term of the current Nagaland Legislative Assembly is set to expire on March 12.
In Nagaland, the BJP joined hands with the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) ahead of the 2018 elections and formed the government.
While the NDPP won 18 seats in the 60-member assembly, the BJP got 12 seats.
The Naga People’s Front (NPF) won 26 seats, but failed to form the government.
karnataka assembly election
Karnataka is one of the major states going to polls in 2023. The term of the 224-member Karnataka Assembly ends on May 24 and elections in the BJP-ruled state are likely to be held in late April or early May. Earlier in 2018, no party got the majority and after the hung assembly, BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa was sworn in as the Chief Minister by the Governor but resigned due to not being able to muster the majority.
Subsequently, the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) formed an alliance to form a government with HD Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister. However, 14 months later, the Kumaraswamy government collapsed after more than a dozen MLAs from the ruling coalition resigned.
In July 2019, Yediyurappa was again sworn in as the Chief Minister. Retaining Karnataka ahead of the 2024 general elections is crucial for the BJP as it is the only southern state where the party is in power.
chhattisgarh assembly election
The tenure of Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly is going to end on January 3, 2024. Elections in the Congress-ruled state are likely to be held in December this year.
In 2018, the grand old party overthrew 15 years of BJP rule by bagging 68 seats in the 91-member assembly. The saffron camp was reduced to 15 seats.
Madhya Pradesh Assembly Election
Madhya Pradesh is another important state that will vote this year. The election of members for 230 constituencies is expected to be held in December as the term of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly ends on January 6.
After the 2018 elections, the state saw both the Congress and the BJP coming to power.
The Congress wrested power from the BJP for the first time by winning 114 seats in the 230-member assembly and Kamal Nath served as chief minister for nearly three years. However, BJP’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan reclaimed his throne two years later when 22 sitting Congress MLAs along with party veteran Jyotiraditya Scindia resigned and joined the saffron camp.
mizoram assembly elections
Mizoram is expected to go to polls in November or December or the term of the Legislative Assembly is due to expire on December 17.
Currently, the Mizo National Front (MNF) is in power under the leadership of Chief Minister Zoramthanga. In 2018, the MNF won 26 seats in the 40-member assembly, and the Zoram People’s Movement won eight. While the Congress won five seats, the BJP opened its account for the first time in the state.
Rajasthan Assembly Election
The much-awaited Rajasthan assembly elections are also to be held this year. The current Rajasthan Assembly will expire on January 14 and elections are likely to be held in December.
In the 2018 elections, Rajasthan saw the Congress end the BJP rule and win 100 seats in the 200-member assembly. The saffron party had got 73 seats.
While the Congress would like to retain the desert state, the BJP would look to cash in on the internal rift between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot.
Telangana Assembly Elections
Elections will also be held in Telangana in December as the term of the state assembly ends on January 16.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who has already set his sights on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, wants to keep his Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), now Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), in power.
On the other hand, the BJP is trying to make inroads in Telangana and aims to oust KCR, who has been in power since the formation of the state.