More than 650 counting observers have been deployed in 5 states to oversee the process. (Representative)
New Delhi/Lucknow/Panaji:
Political parties were gearing up for assembly election results in crucial states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and politically volatile Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur on Thursday, sending sentiments for a possible alliance after the likely polling.
On the eve of counting of votes, the Election Commission announced the removal of three officials, including the nodal officer for EVMs in Varanasi, after a huge controversy over the Samajwadi Party’s allegation that electronic voting machines were being shifted in an unauthorized manner. .
The Election Commission also appointed the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi, a special officer in Meerut and the CEO of Bihar in Varanasi, the parliamentary seat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to oversee the counting of votes.
It is a high-stakes election for the BJP and the Modi government in Uttar Pradesh as the state sends the maximum 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha and the party’s performance is expected to have an impact on the next general election for 2024.
Several exit polls have predicted a clear majority for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh and the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab, while predicting a hung assembly in Goa and a tight race between the BJP and Congress in Uttarakhand. Except Punjab, all other states were under BJP.
Since the post-poll scenario could surprise with multi-cornered contests, parties have sent senior leaders to the states and are wooing other parties to ensure that if outside support is needed, they can take on their rivals. Be better than the contender. Make a government
The Congress has sent Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar to Goa as Special Observer and party general secretary Mukul Wasnik and Chhattisgarh Health Minister TS Singh Deo, besides Vincent Pala to Manipur.
Despite emerging as the single largest party, the party lost the race to form government in both the states in 2017.
Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar told reporters that the AAP leader is “already in talks with Congress leaders” and claimed that the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) will also support his party.
The Congress has shifted all the candidates from the coastal state to a luxury resort in Bambolim village near Panaji ahead of the counting of votes.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was in the national capital on Tuesday to discuss the evolving situation in his state with the BJP leadership.
According to officials, over 50,000 officials have been deployed for counting of votes in around 1,200 halls across five states and will follow the COVID-9 guidelines during the exercise, which begins at 8 am amid tight security.
Uttar Pradesh, which has maximum 403 assembly constituencies, will have over 750 counting halls, followed by Punjab with over 200 counting halls.
Over 650 counting observers have been deployed across five states to oversee the process.
An official in Lucknow said that video and static cameras have been installed at all the counting centers of UP.
A total of 250 companies of CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces) have been provided to all districts and commissioners of Uttar Pradesh as on March 10, police said. According to officials, there are usually around 70-80 personnel in a CAPF company.
If the BJP gets a majority in the 403-member assembly, it will be the first party to secure a second consecutive term in three decades.
UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi told PTI, “There is no special preparation in the UP BJP office, but there is enthusiasm among the party workers.”
On Tuesday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that EVMs were being “stolen” in a truck in Varanasi, but the Election Commission had said the machines were meant to train officials on counting duty.
In Uttarakhand, BJP general secretary and strategist Kailash Vijayvargiya held meetings with former CM Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and other leaders.
Mr. Vijayvargiya was earlier active in state politics at the time of rebellion by Congress MLAs against the then Chief Minister Harish Rawat, which led to the imposition of President’s rule in the state.
The Congress camp is also keeping a close watch on the situation with central party observer Deepender Hooda, Uttarakhand party in-charge Devendra Yadav, election campaign chief Harish Rawat and PCC president Ganesh Godia holding meetings.
While several exit polls have given either the BJP or the Congress a majority in the 70-member assembly, many of them have predicted a close fight between the two key players or a hung assembly – a scenario in which the role of independents and regional organizations such as AAP, SP, BSP and UKD will be important in government formation.
BJP and Congress are in direct contest on 40 to 45 seats, while regional outfits make the fight triangular on 25-30 seats.
Major parties are also keeping an eye on rebels who had fielded as independents against their official candidates.
This time thirteen BJP rebels and six Congress rebels are in the fray.
Congress general secretary Ajay Maken and spokesperson Pawan Khera have been sent to Punjab, where they are betting on Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi to retain power following the revolt of veteran leader Amarinder Singh.
Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday said the first meeting of the Congress Legislature Party after the results of the Punjab Assembly elections would be held on Thursday itself.
The party is in power in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh on its own and is part of the ruling coalition in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP is hoping to create history by coming to power in Punjab after ruling Delhi for seven years.
A total of 1,304 candidates, including 93 women and two transgenders, are in the fray for 117 seats.
Although various exit polls had predicted that the Congress would not be able to form the government for the second time in a row, Punjab Congress leaders have insisted that their party will win.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Badal had claimed that his party, which contested the elections in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party, would win over 80 seats.
The BJP has said it will make impressive gains while former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has said that this party, the Punjab Lok Congress and the BJP, have done well in the elections.
With exit polls predicting a BJP victory in Manipur, the mood at the party’s state office in the heart of Imphal is upbeat and workers are busy cleaning the premises and putting up new party flags on the boundary wall.
The party has contested all the 60 seats.
However, former Chief Minister and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh has also expressed confidence that his party will come back to power.
To prevent a repeat of 2017, when the Congress was the single largest party with 28 seats but could not form the government, Singh said the party’s legislators would take “precautionary measures like staying together in one place” this time.
The Congress has already announced pre-poll alliances with CPI, CPM, Forward Bloc, RSP and JD(S).