Assembly elections 2022 roundup: Two more taking on UP’s CM, BSP throws down the gauntlet in Punjab and Manipur may have kingmakers once more

In Punjab, BSP has formed an alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Mayawati is launching their campaign from Nawanshahr. (File photo, PTI)

Former BJP leader’s widow and a Muslim community leader fielded against Adityanath

In Gorakhpur Urban, from where the five-time MP and the state’s CM Yogi Adityanath is contesting assembly elections for the first time, Samajwadi Party has fielded Sabhavati Shukla and Bahujan Samajwadi Party has fielded Khwaja Shamsuddin. Bhim Army’s Chandrashekhar Azad has already filed his papers to contest from this seat.

Why is it important?

Adityanath is contesting the state elections for the first time. It will be seen as a mandate on his handling of the pandemic crisis, when bodies of people who died from Covid-19 were found floating in Ganga, with the crematoriums full and people unable to afford last rites. It will also be a verdict on his increasingly divisive speeches.

Mayawati in Punjab’s Nawanshahr to launch BSP campaign

The Bahujan Samaj Party supremo will launch the party’s state assembly campaign from Nawanshahr constituency.

Why is it important?

In Punjab, BSP has formed an alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Mayawati is launching their campaign from a constituency that is almost equally split between Congress and SAD. It signals who the alliance is in direct contest with. Earlier in January, Mayawati had even asked for a probe into the security lapse during PM Narendra Modi’s visit.

Manipur may see a hung house: ABP-CVoter poll

BJP may win 21 to 25 seats, and Congress 17 to 26 seats in Manipur state assembly elections, according to an ABP-CVoter poll. There are 60 seats in total.

Why is it important?

Regional parties such as Naga People’s Front (NPF) and National People’s Party (NPP) are seeing a rise in popularity. The poll predicts that NPF may get just 6 to 10 seats and the others in total are likely to get 8 to 12, and in a closely contested election, they could become kingmakers. In 2017 state elections, Congress had won 28 seats while BJP had won 21 seats, but the latter formed the government with its allies from NPP, NFP, TMC, LJP and even one Congress MLA. 

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In Goa, Priyanka Gandhi hits out at AAP and TMC

The Congress general secretary has said that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) will only benefit BJP by splitting the votes.

Why is it important?

In the 2017 state elections, Congress (winning 17 seats) and BJP (winning 13 seats) had a neck-to-neck finish. In total, the state has 40 and to form a government a party needs 21 seats. Later, BJP formed the government by forming an alliance with Mahrashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) which had won three seats, Goa Forward Party (GFP) with three seats and two independent MLAs. 

Rajnath Singh to address two rallies in Uttarakhand

The Defence Minister will address two public gatherings in Uttarkahand, which goes to polls on February 14. He is among the many senior BJP leaders who will be part of the campaigning in the state. The party’s chief JP Nadda had even done door-to-door campaigning at Gangotri recently. 

Why is it important?

The party had won with a huge mandate in the state, getting 57 of the 70 seats. But, over the five years, BJP changed its CM candidate four times, leading to accusations of political instability and mismanagement. If the party manages to win a second consecutive term in the state, it will be a first in its two decades of existence.