State elections results: Counting to begin amid high-security arrangements

Most exit polls predicted a Congress resurgence in northern India, while TRS is likely to retain power in Telangana

The results of the Assembly elections in five States — Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram — will be out on Tuesday. 

After the polling ended for the Telangana and Rajasthan Assemblies on Friday evening, most exit polls predicted a Congress resurgence in northern India.

All exit polls said Rajasthan was unlikely to break its 25-year-old habit of throwing out the incumbent government, with the Congress slated to win the state. Several exit polls predicted the Bharatiya Janata Party's 15-year-rule in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh could also end.

However, most exit polls indicated the Bahujan Samaj Party-Ajit Jogi alliance in Chhattisgarh might have hurt the Congress, with the BJP poised to win a fourth successive win there.

A majority of the exit polls also predicted the incumbent Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) could retain the state and the electorate could boot out the 10-year-old Congress government in Mizoram.

Chhattisgarh

Counting of votes will be held on Tuesday for the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls, being viewed as a prestige battle for three-term Chief Minister Raman Singh of the BJP and the opposition Congress' fight for a resurgence.

Madhya Pradesh

Post-election surveys have predicted an interesting contest in Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP is trying for a consecutive fourth term. An Election Commission official said on Monday the counting would begin at 8 am and postal ballots will be taken up first followed by electronic voting machines at 8:30 am.

Rajasthan

Ahead of the counting of votes on December 11, arch-rivals BJP and the Congress have both claimed they are forming the government in Rajasthan, a state that has seen the two national parties alternate power over the last 20 years. While the BJP claimed it would get a majority in the state, irrespective of what the exit polls predicted, the Congress said it will go past the numbers the poll of polls projected for it.

Telangana

The fate of 1,821 candidates contesting the Telangana Assembly election will be decided Tuesday when the counting of votes will be taken up. The maiden polls for the 119-seat Telangana Assembly were held on December 7 with a voter turnout of 73.20 per cent. Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar said necessary arrangements have been made for the counting day and the strongrooms, where EVMs are kept, secured with central paramilitary forces providing "first cordon of security."

Mizoram

Counting of votes for the 40-member Mizoram Assembly will begin from 8 am on Tuesday amid elaborate security arrangements, state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ashish Kundra said. The election was held on November 28 and its result will decide whether Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla of the Congress will be able to return for a third consecutive term in office. Mizoram is the last bastion of the Congress in the northeast.