Counting of votes in 4 states today; results to give BJP, Congress heads up before LS polls

New Delhi: Counting of votes in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana will be held on Sunday, unveiling the strengths and shortcomings of the BJP and its main rival Congress ahead of Lok Sabha elections and giving it indications about tweaking its strategies.

Mizoram, which also went to polls along with the four states, will see the counting of votes on Monday after the Election Commission rescheduled it following representations from civil society in the state as Sunday holds a special significance for the people in a Christian-majority state.

Altogether, 8,054 candidates fought for 679 seats in these five states in the elections that spanned over a period of 23 days. These states together have 73 Lok Sabha seats of which BJP has 66 seats and Congress six, leaving one to Mizo National Front.

The counting of votes for the four states will start at 8 am.

The results, which will come out on Sunday, will have ramifications for parties and leaders like Kamal Nath, Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel, A Revanth Reddy (all Congress) and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Vasundhara Raje, Raman Singh (all BJP) and K Chandrasekhar Rao (BRS).

A better result for Congress would enhance its standing among I.N.D.I.A partners ahead of Lok Sabha elections though it was accused of not being cooperative to partners. If Congress’ performance is below par, regional parties like Samajwadi Party, AAP and Trinamool Congress are likely to flex muscles.

Exit polls have predicted that Chhattisgarh, which has 90 seats, will go the Congress way once again while the party is likely to oust BRS from power in Telangana, which has 119 seats. All eyes will be glued to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where exit polls have given mixed signals.

Congress had hoped to oust the ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh, which has 230 seats, but a late bloom in campaigning helped it to regain lost ground while its opponent slumped, as per reports. It is also to be seen how Samajwadi Party performs in Madhya Pradesh, especially after an acrimonious campaign against the Congress following denial of seats.

It is to be seen whether Rajasthan will bunk its tradition of voting out the incumbent government.

BJP leaders are confident about winning Rajasthan, but Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is still confident of crossing the majority mark in the 200-member Assembly. Both Congress and BJP are in touch with possible winners among independents and smaller parties like Bharatiya Adivasi Party.

Leaders have asked counting agents and other functionaries to be alert during counting. Gehlot has called a late evening online meeting of Congress candidates and close aides to prepare a strategy for Sunday.

Chouhan and Kamal Nath expressed confidence about their party’s victory while BJP president JP Nadda visited the Shanishchara Temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Morena district to pray for his saffron party’s victory in the elections.