Campaigning ends in Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, stage set for Assembly polls on November 28

After a high-desibel political blame game between the rival parties for over a month, the campaigning for Assembly elections in poll bound Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram has come to a formal end at about 5 pm on Monday evening. While Madhya Pradesh will vote to elect 230 legislators, the Mizoram Legislative Assembly elections will be held to decide the fates of candidates in 40 constituencies across the state. Polling in Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram will take place on November 28, 2018. The counting of votes will be taken up on December 11.

BJP has been in power in Madhya Pradesh for the last 15 years while the Congress is ruling Mizoram since 2008. The Madhya Pradesh elections 2018 is believed to be a straight fight between the BJP and the Congress with star campaigners from both the parties had been canvassing for their candidates. While Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been ruling Madhya Pradesh since 2005 the BJP has been in power in the state since 2003.

In 2013 Mizoram Assembly polls, the Congress had won 34 seats, while the MNF got five and the Mizoram People's Conference one. This time, both Congress and MNF are contesting all the 40 constituencies, while the BJP will be in the fray in 39 seats. Lal Thanhawla is currently serving as the Chief Minister of the north-eastern state.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi were the star campaigners for their respective parties and addressed a number of poll rallies across Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram. They exchanged barbs and traded charges, raising the political temperature in states. Several ongoing issues, including the Rafale deal, demonetisation, development, GST, corruption, dynastic politics among others, prominently figured in their speeches. BJP president Amit Shah, too, blew the poll bugle in both the states to prove his electoral juggernaut in the run up to crucial assembly polls and general elections next year.

Keeping in mind the safety and security arrangements in the states, over 78,000 paramilitary personnel have been mobilised by the Union Home Ministry for deployment in the ongoing Assembly elections in five states - Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram, Telangana and Chhattisgarh.

The action has been taken following several rounds of discussions with the Election Commission, which directed the home ministry to provide adequate forces under its disposal.

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The highest number of paramilitary personnel - around 40,000 - were deployed in Chhattisgarh which are now being withdrawn to be deployed in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. The paramilitary forces were being drawn from different parts of the country and they are being transported through several trains provided by the Ministry of Railways.

While the two-phased Assembly elections have already been held in Chhattisgarh, polling in Rajasthan and Telangana will take place on December 7.