State Assembly Poll dates out, Opposition wants Budget later

BJP confident of winning in 5 states, Cong calls elections to Assemblies a 'yagna' for democracy

Various political parties on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of Assembly elections in five states, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) exuding confidence of victory due to the “positive undercurrent” after demonetisation and Congress urging Election Commission (EC) to ensure free and fair polls.

Others such as the Samajwadi Party, in power in Uttar Pradesh, has, however, said they would ask the EC to get the Budget — brought forward by almost a month to 1 February — postponed.

“State elections are fought largely on the state-level issues...(but) there is a positive undercurrent for BJP across the country which is what we