The upcoming elections in Gujarat will serve as a test for India's ruling Congress party, which is currently experiencing its most severe crisis since taking power in 2004. Additionally, India's election authorities have announced that voting for a new assembly in Himachal Pradesh will take place on Nov. 14 and Dec. 19. According to political analyst Mahesh Rangarajan, this will be the first direct confrontation between the Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since recent changes in the country's political landscape, particularly regarding the nuclear deal. The Congress, leading India's ruling coalition, is facing significant opposition from its leftist allies over the nuclear agreement with the United States, which its communist partners strongly oppose. These leftist allies have threatened to withdraw their support for the coalition if the government proceeds with the deal. If this scenario occurs, the government will become a minority and national elections may take place earlier than planned in 2009. Over 30 million people are expected to vote for 182 seats in two phases on Dec. 11 and Dec. 16 in Gujarat, where Chief Minister Narendra Modi's BJP party has won the last three elections. Modi faced criticism five years ago for allegedly ignoring Hindu-Muslim riots in which around 2,500 people, mostly Muslims, were killed according to human rights groups. The official death toll is around 1,000. The riots began in 2002 after a train carrying Hindu pilgrims caught fire, resulting in the deaths of 59 people. A group of Muslims was accused of initiating the fire.