The counting of votes for five elections in five states — Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur — will be held on Thursday thereby deciding the fate of the BJP which is currently ruling four states and the Congress in Punjab. Exit polls have predicted a clear victory for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh and Manipur, Aam Aadmi Party wresting power in Punjab and a neck-neck-neck battle between the saffron party and the Congress in Uttarakhand and Goa.
On Wednesday, Samajwadi Party chief accused the ruling BJP of trying to “steal” votes and claimed a truck carrying EVMs was “intercepted” in Varanasi, but the Election Commission clarified that the machines were for training officials on counting duty and were not used in elections. The BJP termed it an admission of defeat by Yadav with Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya saying that the SP chief was blaming the Election Commission out of fear of losing the elections and should have rather waited for the counting day to blame the EVMs for his defeat.
These elections are seen as a trend-setter for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and will also be the first indicator of whether the ‘Brand Modi’ continues to be the key for BJP’s uninterrupted victory run since 2014. Read More
Punjab | Aam Aadmi Party CM candidate Bhagwant Mann visits the site of EVM strong room at Patiala, ahead of counting of votes tomorrow
— ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2022
There is high security here. Yesterday, I visited Mansa and Sangrur, he says. pic.twitter.com/RnV6UMo6Dv
Strategy we've adopted is complex & comprehensive. We're very confident that all our candidates are sticking together. Got strong response from other political parties who have fought against BJP. Confident of forming govt tomorrow itself: Sunil Kauthankar, Goa Congress Gen Secy pic.twitter.com/xEmfxVio8n
— ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2022
The counting of votes for Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, which were held in seven phases between February 10 and March 7, will be taken up on Thursday (March 10). All eyes will be on the high-voltage electoral battle which are seen as a direct contest between the ruling BJP and the Samajwadi Party. Read More
We've adequate security measures in place at EVM strong room. Strong room will be opened around 7am in the presence of election observers &candidates; Counting will begin at 8am tomorrow. Police patrolling will be done in sensitive areas: DK Thakur, Police Commissioner, Lucknow pic.twitter.com/o4A1TdRTit
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 9, 2022
I think no Punjabi believes the exit polls. Opinion polls and exit polls should be banned. EC monitors that voters aren't influenced, but nowadays some govts get opinion polls conducted using public money. AAP has done this: Shiromani Akali Dal Pres, Sukhbir S Badal, at Amritsar
Ahead of the counting of votes on Thursday, the Congress has deployed its senior leaders in 13 districts of Uttarakhand to coordinate with party candidates. The exit polls have predicted a close contest in the hill states while giving the BJP an edge over the Grand Old Party.
Punjab | Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal and former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal visit Amritsar's Golden Temple pic.twitter.com/2ncWrYOTat
— ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2022
These Assembly polls are seen as a trend-setter for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and will also be the first indicator of whether ‘Brand Modi’ continues to be the key to the BJP’s victory run in elections since 2014. The Congress, on the other hand, faces an existential crisis facing poll debacles one after another. If exit polls hold true on March 10, the Congress will be left with just two states in its kitty — Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.