THE first election to the 70-member Uttaranchal assembly may well see several shock reverses for the BJP and some shocks for some Congress(I) big guns too, with some independents, regional parties and may be a few Left candidates just about making it. Not only this, going by the campaign mood, some of the rebels in both the BJP and the Congress(I) may also make it to the assembly. Even as the campaign begins, the prospect of a hung assembly looms large.
It is not perhaps curtains down for the BJP, primarily because of division in the secular votes. But it is heading for a close tussle between the Congress and the BJP for the number one slot. There is no third force in the state at the moment. But even the non-Congress secular and regional conglomerates may be in for some pleasant surprise. Not because of any effort on their part but due to the anti-incumbency factor working against the BJP. [more]
