Goa Assembly poll on 4 Feb, with Punjab, Counting on 11 March
INDIA TODAY, NEW DELHI | 04 January 2017 12:59 IST
The Election Commission has announced Assembly election dates for five states - Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur. While Goa and Punjab will have single-phase election on February 4, Uttarakhand will vote on February 15. Manipur will have two-phase election on March 4 and 8.
Voting in Uttar Pradesh will be spread across seven phases.
Counting will take place in all the five states on 11 March.
Polling dates:
Goa: 4 February
Punjab: 4 February
Uttarakhand: 15 February
Manipur (two-phase election): 4 March and 8 March
Uttar Pradesh: (seven-phase election): 11, 15, 19, 23, 27 February; 4 and 8 March
Counting: 11 March in all five states
Limit for candidate for expenditure in election in UP, Punjab and Uttrakhand has been fixed as Rs 28 lakh and for Goa, Manipur it would be Rs 20 lakh, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi told reporters in New Delhi.
UTTAR PRADESH
Of all the five states going to polls, the fight for Uttar Pradesh will be the most closely watched - not only because the outcome will have direct implications on the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the Centre but also due to the bitter family feud in Samajwadi Party.
With the father-son duo of Akhilesh and Mulayam refusing to give in, the Samajwadi Party war has been witnessing twists in a daily basis. As of now, both the factions have laid claim over the cycle symbol and the Election Commission is yet to take a call.
Opposition parties - BJP, BSP and the Congress are keeping a close watch on developments to cash on the opportunity. Speculations are that Akhilesh may go ahead to fight the polls with Congress if he decides to go ahead and part ways with father Mulayam.
PUNJAB
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) alliance in Punjab is facing a stiff fight in this northern state from arch rival Congress and new entrant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Poll pundits say AAP has a real chance of creating an upset in Punjab. However, the party has already seen numerous controversies in the run up to the election campaign. AAP national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tried his all to lure cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu offering him the deputy CM post, however, things didn't materialise.
Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, who hails from Patiala contested on a BJP ticket and won in 2012, joined Congress in November last year. Her husband is yet to announce his decision. "Hum do shareer ek aatma hai, fir ek durse ke bina kab tak reh paenge? (We are two bodies one soul how can we live separately)" Kaur had said on being asked if her husband will join the party.
GOA
For the BJP, retaining power in this tiny coastal state has only become tougher with the entry of AAP. With Manohar Parrikar moving to Delhi, the BJP government in Goa has witnessed several controversies under the leadership of CM Laxmikant Parsekar. BJP's ally - Maharashtrwadi Gomnatak Party (MGP) - has been demanding Parsekar's removal for a long time now.
MGP president Deepak Dhavalikar, also a minister in the BJP-led cabinet, had said that his party was open to contesting all the 40 Assembly seats if the alliance with the BJP breaks.
UTTARAKHAND
The hilly state was witness high drama in March 2016 when nine Congress MLAs switched sides and met Governor KK Paul alongwith 27 other BJP MLAs to demanding removal of CM Harish Rawat. The CM later met the Governor claiming that he has support of majority of MLAs in the 71-seat Assembly.
President's Rule was imposed in the state a day before Rawat was to prove majority on the floor of the House on March 28. Rawat moved high court against the Centre's decision. Ultimately, it was the Congress which won the battle as President's Rule was lifted after the Centre admitted that Harish Rawat won the trust vote held on May 14.
Moments after the decision, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi tweeted,"Hope Modiji learns his lesson-people of this country and the institutions built by our founding fathers will not tolerate the murder of democracy!"
MANIPUR
Law and order situation in this northeastern state has gone from bad to worse due to road blockade by some Naga groups. The blockade has continued for over 60 days now creating a massive crisis in the state.
The term of 60-member Manipur assembly will come to end on March 18. While the ruling Congress has said it is ready for the polls, the BJP wanted it to be delayed till situation in the state normalises.
Election Commission of India must take each Party's Manifesto in the Stamp Paper and their Signature with the Promissory Note that THEY WILL FULFILL THE PROMISES MADE IN THE MANIFESTO AND IF FAIL THEN OUR PARTY CAN BE BAN AND CANNOT CONTEST THE ELECTION FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS.
Keep an eagle eye watch on the Goa borders. Thorough check on all vehicles including VIPs & Politicians due to new currency will come to bribe voters. Aam Aadmi are waiting in long queues for long hours and these corrupt people has so much money to bribe voters. Even this is the duty of all Goans to film them and send to the Social Media. Let us expose these corrupt people who bring new currency to bribe voters.
With Election round the corner. The Excise department of Vasco is in sleep mode, with the excise inspector collecting Rs 500/- per bar, moreover most of the bars are open on the day the bar has to be remain closed per week. Make hay when the sun shines.