Upcoming assembly election in 2023

In the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, at least four states are set to hold elections in 2023. Earlier this year, successful elections were conducted in Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Karnataka. Subsequently, assembly elections are also scheduled to take place in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana during the second half of 2023.

Rajasthan

The 2023 Rajasthan legislative assembly election is scheduled to be held in or before December 2023 to elect all 200 members. The Congress defeated the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government in the 2018 election. The Congress had emerged as the single-largest party, missing a majority by just one seat. With only 73 seats won, the BJP fared poorly in comparison to the last election. The stage is set for a head-to-head battle for the 2023 Rajasthan election, with the BJP and the Congress vying for victory. However, the deepening divide between Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot could affect the Congress's desired results.

Chhattisgarh

The 2023 Chhattisgarh legislative assembly election is scheduled to be held in or before November 2023 to elect all 90 members. In the 2018 election, the Congress had won 68 seats. The dethronement of Raman Singh, the three-time CM, and the overthrow of the incumbent BJP were seen as a big victory for the Congress as the results were contrary to what had been predicted by opinion and exit polls. Since the formation of Chhattisgarh in November 2000, the Congress had never before won an election in the state. Since 2003, the BJP has consistently won elections, with Raman Singh serving as the CM. In 2023, the BJP is looking to remove the Bhupesh Baghel government.

Madhya Pradesh

The 2023 Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly election is scheduled to be held in or before November to elect all 230 members. In the 2018 election, the Congress emerged as the single-largest party. With the backing of the Samajwadi Party's one MLA, the BSP's two MLAs, and the four Independent MLAs, the Congress secured 114 seats and formed the government, with Kamal Nath becoming the CM. But in 2020, 22 Congress MLAs, loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia, left the party and joined the BJP. Shivraj Singh Chouhan of the BJP took office as the CM again on March 23, 2020.

Telangana

The 2023 Telangana legislative assembly election is scheduled to be held in or before December 2023 to elect all 119 members. CM K Chandrashekar Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samithi, now known as the Bharatha Rashtra Samithi or BRS, won 88 seats in the 2018 election. Since Telangana's creation as an independent state from Andhra Pradesh, KCR has maintained uncontested rule in the region. In 2023, they also want to stave off the BJP's upsurge and fulfil KCR's vow to replace the NDA as the main Opposition in the 2024 election.