Will BJP call early assembly polls in Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra?

New Delhi: Will eight states go to assembly polls along with Lok Sabha elections? If BJP dissolves its governments in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Haryana, eight states will have assembly and parliament elections together in April-May. The party has already told the governor it is ready for assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir.

4 definite cases

Four state governments – Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Orissa – complete their five-year term by June this year. The Election Commission (EC) is ready to hold assembly polls in these states along with the Lok Sabha polls. The EC can declare elections in Jammu and Kashmir too since there is no government in power there.

Maharashtra and Haryana governments have their terms until November this year, while Jharkhand elections are due only in January 2020. The EC can declare elections in a state only if the term ends within six months of election notification. Only if these states dissolve their governments now can the EC declare elections there along with Lok Sabha polls.

Some parties are game

The Congress units in Maharashtra and Jharkhand are preparing for simultaneous polls. The Shiv Sena has asked the BJP for polls at state too along with the Lok Sabha election this summer. BJP thinks it could keep Sena’s alliance if it agrees to this demand.

There was no Congress-NCP alliance during 2014 state election and the BJP went on to win 122 seats. But the two parties have struck a deal now for the state and central polls. That along with a possible anti-incumbency wave might deter BJP from calling early polls in states.

Change of tactic

The BJP had suggested conducting elections for Lok Sabha and 11 states together last year as a precursor for simultaneous polls across the country. Telangana, Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh were among the 11. But assembly elections were held here late last year. Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Orissa are set for polls now. Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand will make it eight.

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