Assembly Elections Kick Off in Five States: Political Heavyweights Campaign for Final Push
Ahead of the Assembly elections in five states, political leaders from various parties are making their last efforts to secure votes. Mizoram and Chhattisgarh are set to go to polls on Tuesday, with several influential figures touring the states to garner support.
In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan is scheduled to address seven public meetings, covering key constituencies such as Devsar, Teonthar, Semariya, Rewa, Gurh, Amarpatan, and Bhopal South. Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arjun Munda, and Ashwini Vaishnaw are also actively participating in the campaign. Singh will hold a rally in Gwalior Rural, Munda will attend multiple events in the Sanchi SC-reserved seat, and Vaishnaw will engage with the public in Bhopal and Dewas. Additionally, actor-turned-politician Ravi Kishan will campaign in Anuppur, Kotma, and Manpur.
On the other hand, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the general secretary of the Congress, will address rallies in the Dhar and Indore constituencies. She had previously missed events in Mizoram due to illness. Both major parties have been facing backlash in Madhya Pradesh over their candidate lists. In an attempt to address the concerns of overlooked leaders and their supporters, the BJP even sent Union Home Minister Amit Shah to engage with them. During a rally in Ratlam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Congress for internal conflicts and referred to a video in which former Chief Minister Kamal Nath is seen telling disgruntled workers to tear the clothes of former CM Digvijaya Singh.
In an interview with The Indian Express, Kamal Nath emphasized the unity of the Congress party and claimed that it was the BJP that was dealing with internal disputes. He pointed out the presence of multiple leaders on BJP posters and hoardings, suggesting a lack of unity within the party.
Meanwhile, in Chhattisgarh, the BJP has deployed national president J P Nadda, Union minister Smriti Irani, and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for campaign activities. Irani has already addressed rallies in Kondagaon and Korba districts, while Sarma has visited Bilaspur, Baloda Bazar, Janjgir Champa, and Rajnandgaon. They will continue campaigning in the constituencies going to polls in the second phase.
In Uttarakhand, Rahul Gandhi is embarking on a three-day tour as part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. After visiting the Kedarnath temple, he is expected to participate in “sewa” at the temple, similar to his service at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
Back in the capital, the parliamentary committee responsible for examining the three Bills intended to replace existing criminal laws will meet to adopt draft reports. Some Opposition members had requested an extension to scrutinize the Bills further. The three Bills – Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam – seek to update outdated sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872.
In other news, the Supreme Court will hear a plea filed by the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government against Governor Banwarilal Purohit regarding delays in assenting passed Bills. The government argues that the governor’s inaction is causing a standstill in the administration. This issue adds to the ongoing conflict between the AAP government and the governor, who has refused to approve several Bills passed by the state Assembly.
In Bihar, the Assembly will commence its five-day winter session, during which the government will present a report on the recently released caste survey. The BJP, as the Opposition, has expressed doubts about the authenticity and procedure of the census and plans to raise the issue in both Houses. During a rally in Muzaffarpur, Amit Shah claimed that the caste count exercise inflated the population figures of Yadavs and Muslims as part of the Grand Alliance government’s “appeasement politics.”
Overall, as the Assembly elections gain momentum in these five states, political heavyweights are leaving no stone unturned in their bid to secure victory.