Polling for the upcoming Rajasthan assembly election will be held on November 23 and votes will be counted on December 3, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Monday, setting the stage for assembly polls in five states – including Rajasthan – the final set of state elections before the all-important Lok Sabha polls in April-May next year.
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According to the ECI, the gazette notification for the exercise will be issued on October 30, while November 3 is the deadline to submit nominations. The scrutiny of nominations will be conducted on November 7, while the deadline for candidates to withdraw their candidature is November 9. Also, the election must be completed by December 5.
Over the past few years, voters in Rajasthan have not given their incumbent government a second consecutive term, alternating between the BJP and the Congress – the two national parties – every five years. The ruling Congress will, therefore, hope to reverse the trend, while the BJP will hope that the trend continues.
{{/usCountry}}Over the past few years, voters in Rajasthan have not given their incumbent government a second consecutive term, alternating between the BJP and the Congress – the two national parties – every five years. The ruling Congress will, therefore, hope to reverse the trend, while the BJP will hope that the trend continues.
{{/usCountry}}In December 2018, the grand old party ousted the saffron party from power by securing 100 seats (21 in 2013) in the 200-member assembly, while the latter won on 73 seats (163 in 2013). Though it fell short of majority by just one seat, the Congress garnered support from some independents, as well legislators of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to form government, with veteran Ashok Gehlot returning as chief minister after two previous stints (1998-2003; 2008-2013) and Sachin Pilot, the party's then state unit chief, was made the deputy chief minister. The Congress will again contest under Gehlot's leadership.
The BJP, on the other hand, is not projecting a chief ministerial face, and is instead banking on prime minister Narendra Modi's popularity to win. Its tallest leader in this desert state in Vasundhara Raje Scindia, who has held CM's chair twice (2003-2008; 2013-2018).