Gujarat poll dates not announced with Himachal to give PM Modi more time for mega promises, inaugurations: Congress

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said that, `Obviously, this has been done to give more time to the PM to make some mega promises and carry out more inaugurations. Not at all surprising,`.

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday alleged that dates for Gujarat assembly polls were not announced along with Himachal Pradesh so that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gets more time to make "mega promises and inaugurations". Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said his party is not surprised over the development after the Election Commission announced poll dates only for the hill state and not for Gujarat. "Obviously, this has been done to give more time to the PM to make some mega promises and carry out more inaugurations. Not at all surprising," Ramesh said.

Earlier in the day, the Election Commission announced that elections to the Himachal Pradesh assembly will be held on November 12, while the counting of votes will be done on December 8.

On not announcing the dates for Gujarat assembly polls, it said various factors, including convention, a gap in qualifying dates, and the weather had been considered before taking a decision.

The poll panel also said the announcement of multiple state elections leads to a longer wait in the declaration of results.