The State’s political circles are now abuzz over the possibility of the Assembly polls being advanced by several months. As per indications, the elections might be held well in 2016 rather than in 2017 as is slated.
An Election Commission has denied the report. However, he indicated that the electoral machinery is being geared up to conduct the polls any time. He said it will be ensured that what happened last time is not repeated. In 2012 Assembly election, there was shortage of time for
nomination-filing and campaigning. There were innumerable complaints from the voters as well as party leaders, including the then Chief Minister Maj Gen Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, about the difficulty they had to undergo in filing nomination papers and conducting campaign due to heavy snowfall.
The ECI conducted the polling on January 30, 2012, leaving the contestants just 14 days to file nomination papers and to campaign. The electioneering was also affected as it rained and snowed across the State a day ahead of the polling. The candidates were in deep trouble in bringing the voters to the booths. The roads were closed due to the snowfall although the weather improved on the poling day. But the roads in the remote areas remained closed.
As it was winter it snowed in widespread areas of the State, inconveniencing the candidates who were contesting from the far-flung areas to file nomination papers and also to campaign.
The time-constraint under which the candidates had worked during the electioneering made those who lost the election blame the Election Commission for their defeat. The ECI this time is unwilling to take such a blame again.
According to sources, the election might be held sometime well before December. This is because the examinations in the schools start in the mid-December. The schools being occupied by the polling officials and the paramilitary forces might affect the examination schedule for the schools if elections are held during the time the examinations are held.
Notably, the ECI can conduct the election any time during the last six months of the present Assembly's tenure.
Observers say that the Harish Rawat regime might not mind the election being advanced by some months, given the fact that right now Harish Rawat as a leader of the ruling party is on strong ground vis-à-vis the BJP which is struggling to choose a CM face to take on the Chief Minister.
The CM seems to have emerged much stronger from the turmoil the State was plunged into following the dissidents raising the banner of revolt against his authority. Observers opine that he has weathered the storm with an adroitness. "After the phase that embattled his Government passed there is hardly anyone left in the State Congress to challenge his leadership. Besides, his credibility as a leader has grown manifold, thanks to his emerging triumphant from the grim crisis he was thrown into," a State watcher said.
However, as per indications coming from the saffron camp, the BJP is not averse to early election. Asked for comment by 'The Pioneer' on the matter of the election being possibly advanced, State BJP president Ajay Bhatt, who was in Bhikiyasain, said that his party is fully ready to face election any time it is held. "Such speculations of early election are running rife. However, no matter whether they are authentic or not, we are fully ready to take the people's mandate whenever the election is held," he said.
Observers, however, say that the saffron party likes to have the elections being advanced with the CM rolling out developmental promises one after the other. "The BJP top brass might be thinking that the sooner the promise spree is stopped the better for the party. However, they are still grappling with the problem of zeroing on a credible leader to throw the gauntlet to the redoubtable Harish Rawat in the grand electoral battle ahead,” an observer said.