Does the Congress really have an advantage in the elections? Can its rivals spring a surprise? Did politicians raise relevant issues in these elections?
Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh voted for their state Assemblies yesterday but the elections may be reflective of the people's mood after the Lok Sabha polls.
TV exits polls and analysts give the Congress the lead in alliance or on its own in Maharashtra (288 seats), Haryana (90 seats) and Arunachal Pradesh (60 seats).
The Congress-NCP is likely to get between 135 to 145 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, according to IBN Lokmat projections.
The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance is likely to get between 105 to 115 seats. Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is likely to get eight to 12 seats in the 288-seat Assembly.
Others are likely to get between 25 and 35 seats. The Congress likely to be single largest party with 75 to 85 seats in the Assembly.
If the Congress gets 135 seats in the 288-seat Assembly, it may mobilize independents but the "price they will have to pay will be very, very hefty". The independents and rebels will demand lucrative ministries and departments from the Congress for their support, said Ketkar.
Sainath predicted that Congress-NCP would have a "decided advantage in government formation" if it crossed 125 seats in the Assembly because the alliance is in power at the centre and has been ruling the state for almost 10 years.
The Election Commission on Tuesday night ordered re-polling in 22 polling centers in three Naxal-infested constituencies of Maharashtra where the polling parties could not reach due to hindrances put up by the extremists.As many as 13 polling centres in Aheri, seven in Armori and two in Gadchiroli constituencies will go to re-poll on October 15, state's Chief Electoral officer Debashis Chakrabarty said in Mumbai.
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