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Assembly election results 2023: Counting for BJP vs Congress vs BRS poll battle in 4 states begins
Assembly election results for four states - Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana - to be declared today
In what can provide a glimpse of the public mood to poll pundits months before the general elections, the results for assembly elections in four states -- Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana -- will be declared today. Counting of votes in three Hindi-belt and one southern states has begun.
LIVE Updates: Assembly Election Results 2023
The Congress party rules in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh; the BJP in Madhya Pradesh. The exit polls have predicted a BJP victory in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. They have also predicted that the Congress will retain power in Chhattisgarh. However, the biggest upset is likely in Telangana, where -- per the exit polls -- the Congress appears to be unseating chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who has dominated every aspect of the politics of the state since its formation in 2014.
Also read: Exit polls suggest Sunday cliffhangers across 5 states
The counting began for 230 seats in Madhya Pradesh, 90 seats in Chhattisgarh, 119 seats in Telangana and 199 seats in Rajasthan.
For the Congress, an impressive performance in these elections will give a fillip to its chances in the 2024 general elections and its standing in the opposition's INDIA alliance. If the party manages to win all four states, it might be able to cement its place as the big brother in the alliance in which many regional players appear to be staking their claim at the pole position.
LIVE Updates: Rajasthan Assembly Election Results 2023
The Hindi heartland states are very crucial for the BJP as well. In the last two general elections, the BJP won a major chunk of Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. A robust performance in these states will prove their support base hasn't eroded with time. In Telangana, the party will hope to bag some anti-incumbency votes and get a toe hold in the southern state.
LIVE Updates: Madhya Pradesh Assembly Election Results 2023
The Telangana assembly election results will be a tough test for K Chandrashekar Rao, who recently replaced Telangana with Bharat in the party's name, putting on display his national ambitions.
Counting details
The counting in MP will take place at 52 district headquarters to decide the electoral fate of 2533 candidates. 47 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes and 35 for Scheduled Castes.
In Rajasthan, 1800 candidates are in the fray on 199 seats. Over the last three decades, power has alternated between the Congress and the BJP. The ruling Congress will hope to buck the trend.
“The counting of ballot papers will start at 8 pm. As many as 979 tables have been arranged for the counting of ballot papers across the state. Strong rooms will be opened in the presence of observers, candidates and their representatives,” Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta said.
In Naxalism-hit Chhattisgarh, tight security has been arranged in all counting centres.
LIVE Updates: Chhattisgarh Assembly Election Results 2023
"The counting of postal ballots will begin at 8 am. Half an hour after the postal ballots are counted, the process of counting votes from the EVMs will begin. A total of 90 returning officers, 416 assistant returning officers, 4596 counting personnel and 1698 micro-observers have been appointed for carrying out the counting process smoothly," Chhattisgarh Chief Electoral Officer Reena Baba Saheb Kangale said.
1181 candidates are in the fray in Chhattisgarh.
In Telangana, 2290 contestants are in the fray in 119 seats.
BRS working president K T Rama Rao had earlier said, “After a long time I had a peaceful sleep. Exit polls can take a hike. Exact polls will give us good news.”
LIVE Updates: Telangana Assembly Election Results 2023
With inputs from PTI
