As campaigns for key elections get over, it is prestige battle for at least 5 CMs

The intense campaign for the largest round of polls after the Lok Sabha elections ended on a polarising note. During the current round, the assembly polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand are being held apart from the bypolls in several states which are crucial for the incumbent chief ministers.

The outcome of these polls will reflect on the image of five chief ministers: Eknath Shinde, Maharashtra and Hemant Soren, Jharkhand; in the case of bypolls, high-stakes battle is being fought by Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh; Bhagwant Mann, Punjab and Bhajan Lal Sharma, Rajasthan.

The BJP started its campaign on a high note after victory in Haryana. The party which faced anti-incumbency along with its alliance partners in Maharashtra gained momentum as it tasted success in faraway Haryana. “We managed to recover a lot in the state after Haryana,” said a senior BJP leader. In Jharkhand, the Bharatiya Janata Party hopes it will do well against the Soren government.

The opposition INDIA bloc is putting up a strong fight. But hiccups in their campaign were noticed in the poll-bound states. Congress released its manifesto for Jharkhand, just a day ahead of the polling, during the no-campaign period. The run-up to the campaign was also marked by tussle over the candidate selection and seat distribution.

These polls will also be remembered as new slogans made their entry during the poll campaign. From Yogi Adityanath’s polarising Batenge toh Katenge slogan to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ek hain toh safe hain added zing to the ruling party’s campaign. The outcome of these polls will give an indication over the longevity of these new slogans which have the potential to set the narrative.

In Jharkhand, the BJP attacked the Soren government for allowing infiltration by the illegal Bangladeshi migrants who were changing the demography of the tribal-dominated state. The BJP hopes that it will help them win over the tribal vote bank as the residents versus the outsiders debate has resonance among the people.

If the BJP goes on to win both the states, then it would have comprehensively changed the previous sentiment over the setback suffered by the party during the Lok Sabha campaign.

There is a high amount of pressure on Congress also as it has to show numbers on the result day to signal it is in the fight. After a surprise loss in Haryana, groundworkers’ morale was shaken. Whether the grand old party has recovered from the loss will be known on November 23.  If the INDIA bloc manages to do well, then the Congress will get more firepower at the national level.

While focus remains on the assembly polls, the bypolls in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan are a prestige battle for the parties, particularly their chief ministers. Predictably, the CMs have spent extra time in the campaign to win these bypolls.

Another significant element of these bypolls was the elections for the Wayanad Lok Sabha, a seat vacated by Rahul Gandhi. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is making her debut during these polls. If she goes on to win as it is widely perceived, her presence in the Lok Sabha is likely to enliven the debate in the house. Being a good speaker, she would add energy to opposition’s voice.

Seen in totality, this round of polls will be billed as a reflection of Modi’s appeal. A good show would certainly make the BJP confident for even the next polls in Delhi and Bihar in 2025.