NEW DELHI: The high-voltage campaign in the elections of October 15 in Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly ended this evening as Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended his offensive against the Congress and other rivals who turned to the same extent.
Dust and noise ended at 5 pm when the speakers went silent as political parties asked their box to get on with the job of door-to-door campaign to convince voters.
Prompted by the massive mandate obtained in the Lok Sabha elections just five months ago, Modi unleashed a blitzkrieg against survey more than 30 demonstrations in the two states where the opposition on dynastic politics and corruption he faced.
Without local face in Maharashtra, which has 288 seats and Haryana, which has 90 seats, the BJP banked heavily on Modi to campaign, especially in Maharashtra, where he set out with his long-time ally, the Shiv Sena .
Although he avoided any criticism of Shiv Sena, Modi declined sharply in both Congress and NCP, saying they were highly corrupt and had looted the state for the past 15 years.
Congress, moreover Prithviraj Chavan plans while NCP Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray.
With Wednesday's vote in the two states is seen as the first key test of popularity for major political parties after the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP left nothing to chance with Modi treat more than 20 demonstrations in Maharashtra and 10 in Haryana . Counting of votes will be taken until Sunday.
The October 15 elections for the Maharashtra Assembly will be the first in more than a quarter century, when the main political parties are in the arena sans survey ancient alliance partners.
The BJP is contesting 257 seats, while its smaller allies vie 31 Congress and NCP contested in all seats. Some candidates of other parties are held in the Congress symbol.
The last time the Shiv Sena and BJP fought separately was before 1989 - the year the partnership was sealed and that Congress and the NCP, which was before 1999, the year the party led by Sharad Pawar formed.
The main issues raised portions were Marathi identity in Maharashtra, Hindutva, corruption and development.
In surveys of 2009, won 82 Cong, NCP won 62, 45 and 47 Sena BJP and MNS 12 Ashok Chavan of the Congress was elected Prime Minister.
As Congress banked on the board of development, Shiv Sena was projected as one with a "true identity" of Maharashtra. The BJP was relentless in his attacks on the Congress-NCP on the issue of corruption with Modi asking the electorate to "punish" the Congress and NCP "looted" people.
The campaign saw the Prime Minister Haryana Congress targeting exploit the controversy surrounding land deals involving Sonia Gandhi, son-in-law Robert Vadra, saying it symbolized the corruption of the 10 years of Congress regime. He sought a majority of BJP, telling a hung assembly will interest anyone.
The other main weapons battling in Haryana are the families of the three famous 'Lals' including former Chief Minister OP Chautala imprisoned.
Unlike the recent past, when the fight was mainly between the Congress and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), a number of new players threw his hat in the ring this time.
However, the Congress, the BJP and INLD are being seen as the main actors, with the three in the hope of obtaining power for their own.
