M A I N   N E W S

Counting today; BJP upbeat, Cong tense
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 18
As counting of votes to form new governments in Haryana and Maharashtra begins tomorrow, the BJP appears upbeat, riding high on favourable exit poll predictions.

Congress leaders appear resigned to the party's fate in the polls, giving more than ample hints that it was unlikely to return to power in the two states.

The counting will start at 8 am and initial trends shall be available by 10 am, said officials. Tight security arrangements have been put in place at all counting centres across two states.

Apart from deciding the contours of the two Assemblies, the poll outcome would have widespread ramifications for major national and regional political players.

It’s the first major test for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his close aide Amit Shah after the BJP stormed to power at the Centre in May this year. Banking solely on ‘Modi wave’, the BJP had dumped its allies in both states.

Haryana had recorded the highest-ever turnout of 76.54% while Maharashtra registered 63.13% polling. Most exit poll surveys predict that the BJP will emerge as the largest single party and perhaps also reach within a striking distance of establishing majority in both states.

Irrespective of whichever way the election results swing, these will impact the status of BJP allies — the Shiormani Akali Dal in Punjab and the Lok Janshakti Party (Bihar) — in the NDA configuration.

Officially, party leaders say the BJP believes in “taking-the-allies-along”, but political observers believe that if 25-year-old partner Shiv Sena could be laid off to fulfil the long-term goal of establishing supremacy as a single largest player in both state and Central politics, allies like the SAD should gear up to walk alone the next time Punjab votes.

If the results are not as per the BJP’s plan, the allies, including the Shiv Sena, would end up emerging strengthened with better bargain power.

If the BJP manages to cross the half-way mark tomorrow, it would also have to find a way to contain the ambitions of half-a-dozen CM hopefuls in both Haryana and Maharashtra.

Assembly polls

• The counting will start at 8 am and initial trends shall be available by 10 am
• Tight security arrangements in place at all counting centres across two states.
• 4,119 candidates in the fray from Maharashtra, 1,351 candidates contesting from Haryana.