Editor's Pick: Assembly elections in 5 key States in November

Assembly elections in the five crucial States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram will be held between November 7 and 30, the Election Commission said on Monday. The counting of votes will take place on December 3. Chhattisgarh is the only State where the polls will be held in two phases — November 7 and 17. Mizoram with 40 Assembly seats would vote on November 7. Voting for the 230 Assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh will take place on November 17 and that in Rajasthan, which has 200 seats, will be held on November 23. Telangana, which has 119 Assembly seats, will vote on November 30. Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have Congress governments, Madhya Pradesh is ruled by the BJP, Telangana by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Mizoram by the Mizo National Front. While the BJP and the Congress are in bipolar contests in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, in Telangana, it is a triangular fight between the ruling BRS, the Congress and the BJP. On a question on when the polls would be held in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said they would be held at the “right time” keeping in mind the security situation there. Asked about the freebies announced by various political parties ahead of the Assembly polls, Mr. Kumar branded them as ‘tadka’ (tempering) of populism and said it was difficult for those who win elections to either implement these sops or stop this practice. The CEC added that the matter was at present sub-judice and the EC would act as soon as clarity and decision were available on this. After the poll schedule was announced, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that the announcement marked “the farewell of the BJP and its allies from these States”. The announcement also coincided with the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meet that sharpened the party’s focus on the social justice plank by demanding a caste census and doing away with the 50% cap on reservation for OBCs, SCs, and STs. Mr. Kharge stressed the need for contesting the polls in a united manner, maintaining discipline and complete coordination. With the battle lines drawn, the upcoming polls will offer insight into what issues may be highlighted by the BJP in the general election next year. While the BJP has not released a complete list of candidates for all the States, the four lists for Madhya Pradesh and the first list of candidates for Rajasthan have seen the party field several MPs, mostly from the Lower House, for the Assembly elections. The large number of Lok Sabha members being fielded is seen not only as a way of cutting anti-incumbency against the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in MP, but also as a strategy to create a cohort of State leaders and effecting a generational change in both Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, notes an analysis in today’s edition of The Hindu. The Hindu’s Editorials Original sin: on the attack on Israel and the occupation of Palestine Glittering show: on India’s medal tally at the Asian Games The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Which is the only Gulf monarchy that doesn’t disapprove of Hamas, the Palestinian fundementalist organisation? Saudi Arabia Qatar Iraq Yemen To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 10 October 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow] Open in browser [Mail icon] More newsletters Assembly elections in 5 key States in November Assembly elections in the five crucial States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram [will be held between November 7 and 30]( the Election Commission said on Monday. The counting of votes will take place on December 3. [Chhattisgarh]( is the only State where the polls will be held in two phases — November 7 and 17. Mizoram with 40 Assembly seats would vote on November 7. Voting for the 230 Assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh will take place on November 17 and that [in Rajasthan]( which has 200 seats, will be held on November 23. Telangana, which has 119 Assembly seats, will vote on November 30. Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have Congress governments, Madhya Pradesh is ruled by the BJP, Telangana by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and [Mizoram by the Mizo National Front]( While the BJP and the Congress are in bipolar contests in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, [in Telangana]( it is a triangular fight between the ruling BRS, the Congress and the BJP. On a question on [when the polls would be held in Jammu and Kashmir]( Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said they would be held at the “right time” keeping in mind the security situation there. Asked about the freebies announced by various political parties ahead of the Assembly polls, Mr. Kumar branded them as ‘tadka’ (tempering) of populism and said it was difficult for those who win elections to either implement these sops or stop this practice. The CEC added that the matter was at present sub-judice and the EC would act as soon as clarity and decision were available on this. After the poll schedule was announced, Congress president [Mallikarjun Kharge claimed]( that the announcement marked “the farewell of the BJP and its allies from these States”. The announcement also coincided with the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meet that [sharpened the party’s focus]( on the social justice plank by demanding a caste census and doing away with the 50% cap on reservation for OBCs, SCs, and STs. Mr. Kharge stressed the need for contesting the polls in a united manner, maintaining discipline and complete coordination. With the battle lines drawn, the upcoming polls [will offer insight]( into what issues may be highlighted by the BJP in the general election next year. While the BJP has not released a complete list of candidates for all the States, the four lists for Madhya Pradesh and [the first list of candidates for Rajasthan]( have seen the party field several MPs, mostly from the Lower House, for the Assembly elections. The large number of Lok Sabha members being fielded is seen not only as a way of cutting anti-incumbency against the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in MP, but also as a strategy to create a cohort of State leaders and effecting a generational change in both Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, notes an analysis in today’s edition of The Hindu. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Original sin: on the attack on Israel and the occupation of Palestine]( [Arrow][Glittering show: on India’s medal tally at the Asian GamesÂ]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Which is the only Gulf monarchy that doesn’t disapprove of Hamas, the Palestinian fundementalist organisation? - Saudi Arabia - Qatar - Iraq - Yemen To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here.]( ADVERTISEMENT Today’s Best Reads [[What is multimodal artificial intelligence and why is it important?] What is multimodal artificial intelligence and why is it important?]( [[Gaza strife raises fresh worries for inflation, fiscal math and rupee] Gaza strife raises fresh worries for inflation, fiscal math and rupee]( [[BJP seeks to ‘test drive’ some ideas for 2024 in the five State polls announced] BJP seeks to ‘test drive’ some ideas for 2024 in the five State polls announced]( [[Stroke could lead to nearly 10 million deaths annually by 2050, warns report] Stroke could lead to nearly 10 million deaths annually by 2050, warns report]( Copyright @ 2023, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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