The Election Commission of India has started the process of holding elections in four states later this year. In a communication to the four election-bound states namely Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir, the commission has asked the governments to shift out officials who are posted in their home districts and those who have served for three years or more at one place.The terms of the state assemblies of Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand are ending on November 26, 2024, November 3, 2024, January 5, 2025, respectively. The elections in these three states are likely to be held in October this year. Sources said the J&K elections may be held along with these states. As the poll date approaches, the political parties have also started their preparations.The Congress has appointed screening committees for the selection of candidates and the BJP too has started the process. RSS joint general secretary Arun Kumar held a six-hour-long meeting last week with the BJP’s top central and state leaders of Haryana. The party, which could not win a majority on its own in the last assembly election and lost five of the ten Lok Sabha seats it had won in the 2019 elections, has appointed a new Chief Minister and is in search of a new narrative.In Maharashtra, the two major groups are likely to conclude seat-sharing later this month without much trouble, say insiders. In Jharkhand, however, trouble is brewing in the ruling alliance. Sources said Chief Minister Hemant Soren wants his party, JMM, to contest more seats than last time. The Congress also plans to seek more seats as two MLAs from former chief minister Babulal Marandi’s party have crossed over to its side. The ruling allies are gearing up for tough negotiations.
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