Five Indian states to vote in key elections in November
India is gearing up for crucial legislative elections in five states, as announced by an independent election panel on Monday. These regional polls, set to take place next month, mark the beginning of a series of electoral processes in the lead-up to the national elections scheduled for the following year.
The states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram will head to the polls, with the outcomes expected to provide valuable insights into the prevailing voter sentiment. This is especially significant for the heartland states, which hold the key to the political fortunes of Indian Premier Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Madhya Pradesh Assembly election is slated to occur in a single phase on November 17, followed by voting in Rajasthan on November 23 and in Telangana on November 30.
The electoral calendar for this year's final round of polls commences with Mizoram, where voting is scheduled for November 7.
Chhattisgarh stands as the only state in this round of elections to conduct voting in two phases. The first phase will align with the voting in Mizoram on November 7, and the second phase coincides with Madhya Pradesh on November 17.
The declaration of results for all these state elections is expected on December 3.
An estimated 16.1 crore (161 million) eligible voters will exercise their franchise during this round of elections. These elections are widely regarded as the 'semi-finals' because they occur just months before the pivotal 2024 Lok Sabha election, shaping the political landscape and setting the tone for what lies ahead.