After scoring victories in four states, the Bharatiya Janata Party appears to have set its eyes on the next round of elections, including in Gujarat, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to undertake a massive roadshow in Ahmedabad on Friday.
The term of the Gujarat assembly ends on January 8 next year, and the state is expected to go to polls this December. Besides, elections are also due in Himachal Pradesh alongside Gujarat.
The Congress had sprung a surprise by defeating the BJP in three assembly bypolls in Himachal Pradesh in October last year.
The BJP had also lost the bye-election to the Mandi Lok Sabha seat in the hill-state.
Elections are also due in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura early next year where the BJP or its alliance partners are in power.
Earlier this week, Home Minister Amit Shah had visited Agartala to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the BJP-Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura government and virtually set the tone for the election campaign next year.
Shah had promised to reserve 33 per cent of government jobs for women and sought a fresh mandate for the BJP in the polls next year.
"I assure you that we have managed Tripura well in these 4 years. After our 5 years completion next year, give us another chance and we will make Tripura number one state in the country," Shah had said.
The AAP has set its sight on emerging as an alternative to the BJP in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led party had won local elections in Surat last year and had also opened its election office in Ahmedabad.
Three Takeaways From BJP's Victory
BJP bags Goa, leads in 3 states; AAP sweeps Punjab
BJP's 4-1 win makes it favourite for 2024 LS polls
Exit polls get UP, Punjab right; go off in U'khand
Modi: 'Elections are an open university'