lok-sabha-elections

Updated: Mar 10, 2019 16:11 IST

The election commission is likely to announce polls for the assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha also, along with the Lok Sabha elections.

Lakhs of voters will exercise their franchise to bring in new governments in the states that had gone to polls along with the Lok Sabha elections in 2014.

Andhra Pradesh, out of which Telangana was created, had voted TDP’s Chandrababu Naidu to power. Naidu is looking to return to power to continue his grand development of the state and its new capital Amaravati. He has been at the forefront of efforts to stitch a grand alliance with Congress and other parties and hopes to get a majority in the 175-member house and keep the BJP and YSRCP out of power.

Sikkim is ruled by Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) led by Pawan Chamling which came to power in 2014. He is seeking another term in the 32-member assembly.

Arunachal Pradesh had in 2014 voted Congress to power in the 60-member house, but with majority of the ruling party leaders defecting to the BJP, the saffron party came to power, with Pema Khandu as the chief minister. The party will look to retain power in the northeastern state.

Odisha, ruled by Naveen Patnaik-led BJD, has 147 assembly seats. The state faces a tight contest between the BJD and a resurgent BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and leaders like minister Dharmendra Pradhan and MP Jual Oram.

Recently, BJD’s Baijayant Panda, who owns an Odisha-based media group, joined the BJP, giving it yet another boost in the fight against Patnaik, whose BJD is facing strong anti-incumbency.