Election Dates 2022: EC to announce poll dates of UP, Punjab, U'khand, Manipur & Goa tod

In a massive development, the Election Commission of India will announce the dates of the upcoming polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur at 3.30 pm on Saturday. This puts an end to speculation that the elections will be delayed due to the third wave of COVID-19 in India. The ECI's press conference will be held at the Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital. 

In 2017, the elections in these states were held from February 4 to March 8 with the declaration of results on March 11. While the UP and Manipur election was held in 7 and two phases respectively, Goa, Uttarakhand and Punjab went to the polls in a single phase. With the declaration of the elections, the Model Code of Conduct will come into force with immediate effect. 

Here's the political scenario in the poll-bound states: 

• Uttar Pradesh- Yogi Adityanath endeavours to consolidate base

In the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, BJP won a whopping 312 seats in the 403-member House, whereas BSP could win only 19 seats. On the other hand, the SP-Congress alliance failed to bear fruit as it could win in only 54 constituencies. While this was seen as a mandate for PM Modi as BJP had not declared any CM candidate, Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath was a surprise pick for the post. Though Adityanath and other top BJP leaders have hit the campaign trail seeking re-election, SP too is leaving no stones unturned.

Former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav has embarked on a statewide tour as a part of his "Samajwadi Vijay Yatra" in a bid to stage a comeback in the state. Buoyed by the overwhelming public support during his election campaign, he has often predicted that SP will win 400 seats in the 2022 Assembly polls. While Yadav has ruled out any alliance with Congress and BSP, he has announced a tie-up with Shivpal Yadav's PSP(L), Mahan Dal, OP Rajbhar's SBSP, RLD and the Apna Dal faction of Krishna Patel.

On the other hand, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is leading the Congress campaign centred around the slogan 'Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon', signifying women empowerment. Even though BSP has been in power multiple times over the last three decades, its supremo Mayawati hasn't formally commenced her party's election campaign. Moreover, AIMIM is also seeking to emerge as a kingmaker in UP having made public its plan to contest 100 seats.

• Uttarakhand- AAP eyes inroads

In the 2017 Uttarakhand Assembly election, the Harish Rawat-led Congress government lost power after BJP won 57 seats in the 70-member House. Thereafter, Trivendra Singh Rawat served as the Chief Minister of the state until 9 March, when he resigned because of a "collection decision" taken by the BJP top brass. His successor and Lok Sabha MP Tirath Singh Rawat's tenure as the CM was also short-lived and was replaced by Pushkar Singh Dhami as the Election Commission was unlikely to conduct a by-election owing to the COVID-19 situation.

AAP has tried to make inroads in the state in the last few months with a mass outreach campaign titled 'Uttarakhand me bhi Kejriwal', increasing online presence besides regular visits by high-profile leaders such as Manish Sisodia. However, non-BJP and non-Congress parties have failed to make any gains in Uttarakhand so far which is evident from the failure of Uttarakhand Kranti Dal, SP and BSP. While AAP has declared Colonel (retd.) Ajay Kothiyal as its CM face, Congress is yet to confirm whether Harish Rawat will be projected as its Chief Ministerial candidate. 

• Goa- 4-cornered fight beckons state

In the 2017 Goa Assembly polls, BJP suffered a big blow in the absence of its stalwart leader Manohar Parrikar as it could win only 13 seats in contrast to Congress whose candidates won in 17 constituencies. However, BJP staked claim to form the government with the support of 3 MGP MLAs, 3 GFP MLAs, two Independents and an NCP MLA under the leadership of Parrikar who resigned as the Defence Minister. After he passed away on 17 March 2019, the then Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant replaced him.

Deputy CM in the Parrikar Cabinet- Sudin Dhavalikar and Vijai Sardesai were sacked from the Cabinet in the next months. On the other hand, BJP consolidated its position after 10 Congress MLAs including Chandrakant Kavlekar, Atanasio Monserrate, Jeniffer Monserratte, Francis Silveira, Philip Nery Rodrigues, Cleaofacio Dias, Wilfred Dsa, Nilkant Halarnkar and Isidor Fernandes joined the saffron party on 10 July 2019. The spate of defections have increased in the run up to the 2022 polls with two BJP MLA defecting to TMC and Congress respectively.

In the last few months, TMC has stepped up its election campaign with the party with posters featuring TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee's photo and the slogan 'Gonychi Navi Sakal' (Goa's new dawn) been put across the state. Moreover, it has riled Congress by inducting several of its leaders including ex-CM Luizinho Faleiro. AAP too is wooing the voters with promises such as 300 units of free electricity per month, 24/7 uninterrupted power supply, unemployment allowance and Rs.1000 for every woman aged above 18.

• Manipur- BJP seeks re-election

In the 2017 Manipur Assembly election, Congress emerged as the single-largest party by winning 28 seats in the 60-member House whereas BJP bagged 21 seats. Even as it harboured hopes of forming a government in the state again, BJP thwarted its plans by forging a post-poll alliance with the National People's Party, the Naga People's Front and LJP. Thus, the saffron party which had drawn a blank in the 2012 polls formed a government in Manipur for the first time with N Biren Singh taking oath as the Chief Minister on March 15, 2017.

The N Biren Singh-led government faced a mid-term crisis on June 17, 2020, when 9 MLAs including the Deputy CM withdrew support to the ruling coalition. However, it barely managed to prove its majority on the floor of the Assembly on August 10 as 8 Congress MLAs stayed away from the Assembly proceedings despite the party issuing a whip to vote against the trust motion moved by the Chief Minister. The government was supported by 28 members including the 4 NPP MLAs on the floor of the Assembly. 

• Punjab- Tough fight for beleaguered Congress 

In the 2017 Punjab Assembly election, Congress won a whopping 77 seats in the 117-member House, whereas Shiromani Akali Dal could win only 18 seats. On the other hand, AAP emerged as the second-largest party with 20 seats and failed to bear fruit as it could win in only 54 constituencies. Despite winning a huge mandate, infighting erupted in the Congress camp after Sidhu started attacking the then CM Amarinder Singh over the purported delayed justice in the incidents of desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib and the drug cases.

The situation escalated on September 18 after Congress summoned a Legislative Party meeting without keeping the Punjab CM in the loop. Amid growing speculation that Singh will be ousted, the latter tendered his resignation to Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit at about 4.30 pm on the same day owing to "humiliation". However, Charanjit Singh Channi pipped Sidhu to the CM's post on September 20. More drama was in store in the poll-bound state as the latter stepped down as the state Congress chief on September 28.

Sidhu took back his resignation only after Channi replaced Amar Preet Singh Deol as the Advocate General of Punjab. The former cricketer had expressed dissatisfaction over Deol's appointment as the latter had appeared for former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini and other accused in the sacrilege cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Even then, the rift between Sidhu and Channi has persisted with the Congress unwilling to name any CM face.