Assembly polls: BJP, Cong confident of good showing
5 Oct 2013 5:37 AM IST
Narendra Modi on Friday said he is looking forward to a ‘healthy and spirited’ elections to the five state Assemblies, as his BJP and rival Congress exuded confidence of putting up a good showing.
Though the polls to Chattisgargh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Rajasthan spread over 24 days from 11 November have been billed as a semi-final to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress does not think so while the BJP was evasive.
‘I welcome announcement of polls in five states. Elections are a celebration of our democracy. We look forward to a healthy and spirited elections,’ Modi, who is BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, tweeted on micro-blogging site Twitter.
BJP is in power in Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh while Congress is in office in Rajasthan, Delhi and Mizoram.
Congress expressed confidence that it will get the mandate because of its programmes and policies but rejected contentions that the Assembly polls could be called a semi-final for the 2014 general elections.
‘There is nothing like semifinal or quarter final. For us every election is final in itself. We consider these elections as final as far as they are concerned’, Congress spokesperson Meem Afzal said.
‘We will go to elections on our programmes and policies and we are hopeful that we will get the mandate,’ Afzal added.
He also dismissed a contention that Congress will consider the outcome of the assembly elections as a clear indication of people’s likely verdict for the Lok Sabha elections since the state polls are being held after Modi was declared the prime ministerial candidate.
‘Congress does not fight elections keeping in mind any one person,’ he blunbtly said.
BJP said though local issues will dominate in the Assembly polls the popularity of Modi will definitely boost the party’s prospects.
Asked if these elections will be a test of Modi’s acceptability and popularity, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said, ‘Modi is undoubtedly the most popular leader of the country. All surveys indicate this. We will definitely get the advantage of this in the polls.’
For Chhatisgarh first phase poll, the notification will be issued on October 18 and the last date of filing nominations will be 25 October while the last date of withdrawal will be 28 October. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on 26 October. For the second phase, the notification will be issued on 25 October 25 and nominations can be filed till 1 November 1. Scrutiny will be held on 2 November and the last date of withdrawal is 4 November.
For Madhya Pradesh, the notification will be issued on 1 November and the last date of filing nominations is 8 November. Scrutiny will take place on 9 November and nominations can be withdrawn till 11 November.
Though the polls to Chattisgargh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Rajasthan spread over 24 days from 11 November have been billed as a semi-final to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress does not think so while the BJP was evasive.
‘I welcome announcement of polls in five states. Elections are a celebration of our democracy. We look forward to a healthy and spirited elections,’ Modi, who is BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, tweeted on micro-blogging site Twitter.
BJP is in power in Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh while Congress is in office in Rajasthan, Delhi and Mizoram.
Congress expressed confidence that it will get the mandate because of its programmes and policies but rejected contentions that the Assembly polls could be called a semi-final for the 2014 general elections.
‘There is nothing like semifinal or quarter final. For us every election is final in itself. We consider these elections as final as far as they are concerned’, Congress spokesperson Meem Afzal said.
‘We will go to elections on our programmes and policies and we are hopeful that we will get the mandate,’ Afzal added.
He also dismissed a contention that Congress will consider the outcome of the assembly elections as a clear indication of people’s likely verdict for the Lok Sabha elections since the state polls are being held after Modi was declared the prime ministerial candidate.
‘Congress does not fight elections keeping in mind any one person,’ he blunbtly said.
BJP said though local issues will dominate in the Assembly polls the popularity of Modi will definitely boost the party’s prospects.
Asked if these elections will be a test of Modi’s acceptability and popularity, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said, ‘Modi is undoubtedly the most popular leader of the country. All surveys indicate this. We will definitely get the advantage of this in the polls.’
For Chhatisgarh first phase poll, the notification will be issued on October 18 and the last date of filing nominations will be 25 October while the last date of withdrawal will be 28 October. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on 26 October. For the second phase, the notification will be issued on 25 October 25 and nominations can be filed till 1 November 1. Scrutiny will be held on 2 November and the last date of withdrawal is 4 November.
For Madhya Pradesh, the notification will be issued on 1 November and the last date of filing nominations is 8 November. Scrutiny will take place on 9 November and nominations can be withdrawn till 11 November.
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