The announcement of assembly polls in five states was welcomed by major parties, with the BJP expressing confidence of emerging victorious while its rivals like the Congress claimed the people were waiting to bid farewell to the saffron party and urged the Election Commission to ensure a level playing field in view of the COVID-19 curbs on campaigning.
The BJP is in power in four of the five poll-bound states -- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur -- while in Punjab it is fighting in an alliance with former chief minister Amarinder Singh and an Akali faction to take on the ruling Congress, AAP and SAD-BSP.
Election fever has already gripped these states, with parties holding election rallies and other events to woo voters over the last few months. However, the Election Commission on Saturday banned all public meetings till January 15 due to the COVID-19 surge and urged political parties to shift to the digital mode of campaigning.
People will again bless the BJP, which will return to power with big majority and take development works to new heights, BJP president J P Nadda said and urged party workers to adhere to COVID-related and other guidelines laid down by the election body.
Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the party will fight strongly and will again win in Punjab and oust the BJP from power in the remaining four states.
"We urge the EC to ensure a level-playing field in these elections," he said.
Surjewala said these elections offer a golden opportunity for defeating the rising unemployment, crimes against women and atrocities against Dalits and those who have an anti-farmer mindset.
"This is a chance to defeat the BJP," he said, claiming "the double-engine governments in UP, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand have proved a double failure."
On the EC disallowing the holding of poll rallies, he said the poll body should allow 'nukkad' meetings.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said the people of Uttar Pradesh are waiting to bid goodbye to the BJP government on March 10 when votes will be counted.
Yadav said that his party would abide by all the conditions laid down by the Election Commission.
He, however, appealed to the EC to ensure that regional parties also get proper space on digital platforms on which he claimed the BJP was dominating.
He urged the poll panel to assist resource-scared smaller parties infrastructurally to hold virtual rallies during the seven-phase of polling in the state.
"We welcome the announcement of dates for the UP polls. People of the state have been waiting for March 10 to say goodbye to the BJP," Akhilesh said after the declaration of seven-phase polls starting from February 10 and ending on March 7 in UP.
BSP chief Mayawati urged the Election Commission to check the "tendency" in the ruling BJP of "violating" the model code of conduct.
In a series of tweets in Hindi, she welcomed the announcement and expressed faith that the poll panel will ensure smooth, free and fair elections.
"The tendency of the ruling party to violate the model code of conduct by adopting new tactics in every election is becoming fatally common, which needs to be given due attention and prompt action is taken in this election. It is the special appeal to the Election Commission," she said.
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal said his party is ready to contest the assembly polls.
The dates for the elections have been announced. The Aam Aadmi Party is ready, Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
The AAP has decided to contest in all the states barring Manipur.
The Trinamool Congress, however, felt that the assembly polls will adversely impact the Budget Session of Parliament.
Parliament's Budget Session usually begins in the last week of January every year.
"The Winter Session of Parliament was washed out by the BJP. With elections in full swing, the Budget session will be out of focus. This is Modi's gameplan: Make Parliament irrelevant so he is accountable to no one," said TMC Rajya Sabha MP and its national spokesperson Derek O' Brien.
The Trinamool Congress has ventured into Goa a few months back.
"We welcome the announcement of Vidhan Sabha polls in Punjab on Feb 14. This signals end of anarchy, chaos, confusion & misgovernance in the state. Punjab is are eagerly looking forward to a strong, stable & 'development-oriented' SAD-BSP govt, committed to peace & communal harmony," Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said.
The assembly elections in these five states will be held between February 10 and March 7 in seven phases, as announced by Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra at a press conference.
