Assembly Elections To Be Held In Phases: EC

New Delhi: Election Commission took a Press Conference on January 8 and announced dates of assembly elections. The polls will be conducted in phases, following all the covid protocols, Election Commission has stated.

There are total 690 seats of assembly elections in five states. EC has total electors above 18 crore in 5 states. 24.9 lakh first time electors. Polls will be held in phases

Phases Of Polling

Uttar Pradesh first phase on 10th Feb, Second on 14th Feb, Third on 20th Feb, Fourth On 23rd Feb, Fifth on 27th Feb, Sixth on 3rd March, Seventh on 7th March.

Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa polling will be held in single phase on Feb 14th.

Manipur will vote on 27th Feb and 3rd March.

Election counting will be starting from 10th March.

Goa Assembly election 2022: Number of seats, party equations

In the 2017 Goa Assembly election, the Congress had emerged as the single-largest party in Goa by winning 17 seats in the 40-member House. However, it could not form majority as the BJP (13 seats) allied with Goa Forward Party (GFP) and other regional parties to form the government.

This time, however, the GFP has formed an alliance with the Congress. The Aam Aadmi Party and Trinamool Congress are also in frey this time, and have campaigned extensively in the state.

Punjab Assembly election 2022: Number of seats, party equations

In the 2017 Punjab Assembly election, the Congress emerged as the single largest party by winning 80 out of 117 Assembly seats. The Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP, who were in alliance back then, managed to win 14 and 2 seats respectively. The Aam Aadmi Party, fighting its first Assembly election in the state, won 17 seats.

The Congress is in extensive campaigning mode in the state which is being led by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. The AAP also has its eyes set on the state and national convenor of the party, Arvind Kejriwal, has made several promises if his party is voted to power in the state.

Prior to this, the state witnessed political turmoil with the resignation of former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh — who later formed a new political party called the Punjab Lok Congress and announced an alliance with the BJP.

Manipur Assembly election 2022: Number of seats, party equations

In the 2017 Manipur Assembly election, the BJP allied with three regional parties — National People’s Party, Naga People’s Front and Lok Janshakti Party. Though the Congress was the single-largest party with 28 seats, the BJP and its allies managed to reach the 31 seat majority.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who quit the Congress in 2016 to join the BJP, would look for a second term in the office. However, there are reports of growing discontent in the state BJP against Biren Singh. The chief minister, along with state minister Biswajit Singh and Manipur BJP chief A Sharda Devi, were summoned by the party high command in October 2021 to address the issues within the state unit.

The Congress, on the other hand, is facing serious troubles before the polls. Many of the party’s MLAs have switched over to the BJP in the last five years, including Govindas Konthoujam, the former state Congress unit chief.

Seasoned Congress leader and former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh is likely to be the face of the party this time as well.

Uttar Pradesh election: Number of seats, party equations

In the 403 seat Uttar Pradesh Assembly, the BJP had won 303 seats in the 2017 state election. The principle opposition, Samajwadi Party, managed to win 49 seats, while the Bahujan Samaj Party and Congress could muster only 15 and 7 seats, respectively.

The BJP has allied with several small caste-based parties in the state, including Bharatiya Samata Samaj Party and Bhartiya Manav Samaj Party. The Samajwadi Party has announced alliance with OP Rajbhar’s Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, who was earlier in alliance with the BJP. The Congress, meanwhile, has not formed any alliance in the state so far.