DEHRADUN/MUMBAI/GUWAHATI: Political parties in the other three poll-bound states - Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur - too welcomed the announcement of election schedule and expressed hope of getting the mandate while government and election commission officials expressed confidence regarding smooth conduct of the entire exercise.
Sowjanya, the chief electoral officer of Uttarakhand, said, "Arrangements for smooth elections with appropriate Covid safety measures are in place." Leaders of political parties said they were ready to comply with COVID-19 safety norms. The state government had on Friday decided to ban political rallies and demonstration till January 16.
In Goa, CM Pramod Sawant, while welcoming the poll schedule, said that he was there not to rule but to serve the people. "I request people to give us another opportunity to serve the people of Goa again. We will launch our manifesto on January 20. Candidates will be declared only after party parliamentary board’s decision," Sawant said.
He claimed to have fulfilled "80 per cent promises" made in the last elections. In Manipur, both BJP and its ally, the National People's Party, as well as Congress said they had no issues with the poll date and stressed the need to follow COVID protocol.
All the three parties favoured smaller election rallies. "Smaller rallies will help us control poll-related expenditure and put up a fight," Congress spokesman K Debabrata said. NPP state general secretary Sheikh Noorul Hassan said: "Bigger rallies affect the psychological belief of voters."