Assembly polls in five states 2018: Important dates

New Delhi, Oct 15: All eyes are on the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram which are being seen as the semi-finals before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The Election Commission of India on October 6 announced single phase assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram and two-phase polls for Chhattisgarh.

Here are the important dates for the upcoming assembly elections in five states:

Dates when the term of current government ends:

• Chhattisgarh: 05.01.2019
• Madhya Pradesh: 07.01.2019
• Mizoram: 15.12.2018
• Rajasthan: 20.01.2019
• Telangana: 08.06.2019

The BJP is in power in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for three consecutive terms while in Rajasthan power alternates between the two parties every election. In Mizoram (40) Congress is the ruling party.

In the 2013 Rajasthan Assembly elections, the BJP had registered a landslide win by bagging 163 out of total 200 seats in the state assembly. In Chhattisgarh assembly elections 2013, the BJP won 49 seats while the Congress won 39 seats. In the 2013 assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP had registered a landslide win by bagging 166 out of the 230 seats in Madhya Pradesh while Congress won 57.

The upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram are being seen as the semi-finals before the 2019 elections 2019. It, however, remains to be seen if the pattern that emerges in state elections would have a bearing on General Elections or not. In the assembly elections, the voters cast their ballot based on the local issues while for General Elections national issues are expected to matter more.