UP and four other states to go for polls during Feb 4 and March 8

During these days of political uncertainties in Uttar Pradesh where fierce political battle between incumbent chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav and supremo of the ruling party, Mulayam Singh Yadav has unfolded during last few days, Election Commission of India on Wednesday announced schedule for elections to be held in Uttar Pradesh and four other states, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand.

BJP-ruled Goa  and Punjab will go for the polls on Feb 4; whereas Congress-ruled Uttarakhand will go for the polls on Feb 15. 

Election in Congress-ruled Manipur will be conducted in two phases, the first phase will take place on March 4 and the second on March 8.

But political pundits and even commoners will have their eyes set on the developments related to elections in Akhilesh Yadav's Uttar Pradesh where polls will be held in seven phases to ensure safe, secured elections. February 11 will be the first date for UP elections.

Always happening from political aspect, UP has 403 legislative assembly seats, Goa has 40, Manipur 60, Punjab 117 and Uttarakhand has 70 seats. The counting and declaration of results for all the states will take place on March 11. Any sharp changes in the power corridors of Lucknow will impact the political equations in the national capital and even in the stock markets. While as of now, political observers have been counting on BJP to take over reigns from the Yadavs, recent surveys done by independent agencies, however, predict a come back of Akhilesh as chief minister.