Assembly Elections 2019: Election Commission to announce poll dates for Haryana soon

The Election Commission (EC) is likely to announce polling dates for Haryana on September 19. The term of current assembly elected in 2014 will expire on 2 November 2019.

In the previous elections in 2014, Manohar Lal Khattar of the BJP became Chief Minister after his party won 47 of the 90 seats in the state, getting a clear majority. Notably, Khattar was the first non-jat chief minister of the state in 18 years. The Indian National Lok Dal won 19 seats, while the incumbent Congress won only 15. The BJP hopes to retain power in the state this time too, but it is facing anti-incumbency. However, a fractured opposition that consists of the Congress and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) could benefit the BJP.

In 2014, the polling schedule for Maharashtra and Haryana was announced on September 20. Polling in both the states took place in a single phase on October 15. Results were announced on October 19. The term of current assembly elected in 2014 will expire on 2 November 2019. These state assembly elections will be the first after the Lok sabha Polls of 2019. They will also be the first after the abrogation of Article 370. These polls will serve as a litmus test for the BJP government amidst reports of acute economic slowdown.