Election Dates: BJP, Congress, SP, Others Confident Of Victory After EC Announces Poll Schedule - Check Reactions

Election 2022 Schedule: Assembly elections in all five states will be completed in total seven phases with Uttar Pradesh having seven-phase polling starting from February 10 till March 7.

New Delhi: Following the announcement of the poll schedule on Saturday, political parties in the fray for the upcoming assembly elections have expressed confidence in securing victory in the poll-bound states.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday announced dates for the five states set to witness assembly elections this year. The states going to the polls include Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Manipur, Uttarakhand, and Goa.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed the announcement and wrote that “the BJP will form a government with a huge majority, on the basis of the achievements of the double engine dispensation, with the blessings of janta janardhana”.

On the other hand, former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav claimed that “People in Uttar Pradesh are set to bid farewell to the BJP government. These dates will mark a huge change in the state”. 

The SP chief further added, “Rules will be followed by Samajwadi Party, but the Election Commission should make sure the ruling party follows these guidelines”.

UP Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu also said that the party “will follow all the guidelines that would be issued by the Election Commission”. “We will fight the election in a better way. We are fully hopeful of forming the government in the 2022 Assembly elections,” he added, as quoted by news agency ANI.

Former Uttarakhand CM and Congress leader Harish Rawat thanked the Election Commission for the announcement of poll dates for the five states, claiming that “people were eager for the poll dates to be announced so that they are able to punish BJP for their misgovernance and their anti-democratic ways”.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed confidence for his alliance’s victory in Punjab, saying : “People of Punjab are eagerly looking forward to a strong, stable and development-oriented SAD-BSP govt, committed to peace and communal harmony. Present rulers had reduced governance to a circus joke. People will heave a sigh of relief that it is over”. 

Union Minister & Punjab BJP in-charge Gajendra S Shekhawat said: “We’re fully prepared for the polls, as per the dates announced by Election Commission. I’d like to appeal to the Election Commission, as well as the Punjab DGP, to ensure a free & fair election, as per EC’s guidelines”.

Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia claimed that “not only AAP, but the voters of poll-bound states were waiting for a long time to give a chance to Kejriwal’s governance and remove the existing betraying governments... Feb 14 has historically been lucky for AAP anyway”.

Meanwhile, Punjab Cabinet Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu appealed to people to follow COVID norms, writing: “Victory of Democracy should be achieved along with Victory from COVID-19”.

Assembly elections in all five states will be completed in total seven phases with Uttar Pradesh having seven-phase polling starting from February 10 (Thursday) till March 7 (Monday).

Notably, the physical rallies of political parties or probable candidates or any other group related to elections have been banned till January 15. No roadshows, padyatras, cycle or bike rallies, and processions shall be allowed till January 15.

ECI stated that it will subsequently review the situation and issue further instructions accordingly.