Periscope: It's a week of polls and poll results

The last phase of UP polls is on Mar 8 and results for five state polls will be declared on Mar 11

Two crucial elections and one crucial set of election results are due this week – the last phase of the UP Assembly polls and the election for mayors in Maharashtra will be held this week, besides the declaration of results of the Assembly elections to five states on 11 March.

In UP, 40 constituencies in seven districts will see polling in the final phase on 8 March. In Mumbai, the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were pitted against each other, with the country’s richest civic body due to conduct the mayoral election on March 8. But the BJP latter said it won't challenge the Shiv Sena for the post of Mumbai's mayor.  The Shiv Sena, which has won 84 seats in the BMC elections, is falling short of 30 seats to have its own mayor. There were reports the Congress, having 31 seats, could extend support to it. On 11 March, the results of the Assembly elections will be out and if the BJP fails to form a government in UP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi might find himself somewhat vulnerable to pressure from the party and the Sangh.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Photo: PTI

Delhi Budget to focus on health care, education 

The Delhi government has called a five-day Budget session of the Assembly beginning Monday. Education and health are likely to be the thrust areas in the Budget, which is expected to be presented on Tuesday and Wednesday. The session will commence with a speech by Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal. 

Sources said that as much as 25 per cent of the total budget was likely to be dedicated to education. The AAP dispensation is also likely to provide “sufficient funds” to mohalla sabhas, where local residents can have a say in developmental works in their respective areas on a priority basis. The Budget session comes ahead of municipal polls scheduled for April.

Budget session in Maharashtra begins today

The Budget session of the Maharashtra legislature will begin from Monday, and the state Budget will be presented on March 18. The session will span 23 working days and will conclude on April 7. Governor 

Ch Vidyasagar Rao will deliver an address to the joint session of both houses of the state legislature on the first day. Discussion on the Governor’s address will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, following which Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will give the reply. This will be the Fadnavis government’s third Budget since it took over in 2014. Supplementary demands will be presented on March 15, and the vote on account will be on March 22. Discussion on department-wise budgetary demands will begin from March 24.