BJP seriously mulls simultaneous polls in 11 party-ruled states

There is a view that this will be a positive plank in its favour

NEW DELHI: In a bid to underline its commitment to simultaneous polls, the BJP is mulling holding assembly elections in 10-11 states along with the Lok Sabha polls, which are scheduled in the first half of next year,

A top party leader, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said they are exploring the possibility of deferring assembly elections of some states by a few months and advancing some others to ensure they are held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls.

The tenure of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh assemblies will expire in January next year, and the governments of these Bjp-ruled states may recommend a brief spell of governor’s rule so that assembly elections there could be held with the Lok Sabha polls, he said.

The tenure of the assembly in the Congress-ruled Mizoram is ending in December this year.

The source said other states where assembly polls can be advanced to enable it to be held with the Lok Sabha polls are Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra- all under the BJP’S rule.

Assembly elections in these three states are also scheduled next year following the Lok Sabha polls.

The Lok Sabha elections in 2014 were held in April-may.

The source said assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Telangana are anyway scheduled to be held with the Parliamentary polls.

Another state where talks of advancing assembly elections are doing the rounds is Bihar, where they are due in 2020 end.

The BJP is a junior partner in the state government led by JD(U)’S Nitish Kumar.

The JD(U) has in public pooh-poohed the suggestion that the state elections be held with the Lok Sabha polls, but many political watchers believe that it may suit Kumar as well.

This is because he may like to ensure his party gets to contest the lion’s share of assembly seats while the BJP fights more Lok Sabha seats.

There is a view within the BJP that holding assembly elections of as many states as possible with the Lok Sabha polls will be a positive plank in its favour as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly emphasised his support to the idea.