by NEW DELHI: The results of upcoming assembly polls in five states will be crucial for the presidential election which is expected to be held in mid-July.
These results will not only decide the fate of total 690 assembly seats (MLAs) in five states but also of 19 Rajya Sabha seats (MPs) which are going to be vacant from three of these five states ahead of the presidential polls.
Since elected MLAs and MPs form the electoral college for President’s election, alignment of regional parties will turn out to be the decider if BJP fails to gain majority in UP and Uttarakhand. In 2017, the ruling NDA had a comfortable lead as BJP and its allies won 325 out of 403 assembly seats in UP and 57 out of 70 in Uttarakhand, putting the NDA at a comfortable position in the President’s polls given the ruling alliance’s impressive numbers in the Lok Sabha.
UP, having the highest value of vote of each MLA (due to its population) in the electoral college, is considered crucial for the presidential elections. Currently, states/UT such as West Bengal, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi are being ruled by different opposition parties. These parties, mostly regional ones, may together tilt the balance in favour of the joint opposition candidate if they decide to field a common candidate for the next presidential polls in July.
Under these circumstances, besides the results of 690 assembly seats in five states (UP:403; Punjab:117; Uttarakhand:70; Manipur: 60 and Goa:40), the Rajya Sabha composition will also play an important role in electing the next President.
Total 73 out of 75 Rajya Sabha seats which are going to be vacant this year will have to be filled before the President’s election with most members retiring in April, June and early July after completing their respective tenures.
These results will not only decide the fate of total 690 assembly seats (MLAs) in five states but also of 19 Rajya Sabha seats (MPs) which are going to be vacant from three of these five states ahead of the presidential polls.
Since elected MLAs and MPs form the electoral college for President’s election, alignment of regional parties will turn out to be the decider if BJP fails to gain majority in UP and Uttarakhand. In 2017, the ruling NDA had a comfortable lead as BJP and its allies won 325 out of 403 assembly seats in UP and 57 out of 70 in Uttarakhand, putting the NDA at a comfortable position in the President’s polls given the ruling alliance’s impressive numbers in the Lok Sabha.
UP, having the highest value of vote of each MLA (due to its population) in the electoral college, is considered crucial for the presidential elections. Currently, states/UT such as West Bengal, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi are being ruled by different opposition parties. These parties, mostly regional ones, may together tilt the balance in favour of the joint opposition candidate if they decide to field a common candidate for the next presidential polls in July.
Under these circumstances, besides the results of 690 assembly seats in five states (UP:403; Punjab:117; Uttarakhand:70; Manipur: 60 and Goa:40), the Rajya Sabha composition will also play an important role in electing the next President.
Total 73 out of 75 Rajya Sabha seats which are going to be vacant this year will have to be filled before the President’s election with most members retiring in April, June and early July after completing their respective tenures.
