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BJP, Congress keep fingers • Breaking citadel Congress has tried to break

crossed, await MP results into Shivraj’s citadel by playing Hindutva card

a mixed scenario in which both the BJP
and Congress are pitted against one
Madhya Pradesh is a key state for any party wanting to be in power at the Centre. another in a tough electoral battle. The
HARD That is why both leading national politicial parties have made it a ‘prestige issue’, opinion poll conducted on April 4, 2018,
by IBC24 had predicted 119 seats for Con-
LINE leaving no stone unturned to woo every section of the voters in the state gress and 101 seats for the BJP. Almost an
identical prediction with slight varia-
ANIL SINGH adhya Pradesh assembly, assuage the feelings of farming community tions was made by ABP News-CVoter in
having 230 constituen- by introducing the Bhavnatar scheme - its survey on August 14 this year. A survey
cies with the tenure of the providing directly to the farmer the gap by TimesNow-Warroom Strategies on
The columnist is existing legislative assem- between the market rate of produce and the over handling of SC/ST Act, lack of jobs for spirituality) and open new Sanskrit October 9 predicted a big win for the BJP.
Executive Editor of M bly expiring on January 7, Minimum Support Price (MSP); neverthe- and FDI, and high levels of corruption schools across the state are also envis- A survey by News Nation on October 10,
News24 news 2019, faced the ballot on November 28. The less, such measures prove instrumental in etc. Despite having launched many aged in the Congress manifesto for MP. showed a neck-to-neck fight between
channel. The views present government led by Bhartiya Janata meeting the agriculture challenge, along welfare schemes and claiming credit for Congress’s promise of imposing a ban the BJP and Congress. Another survey
here expressed are the Party (BJP) under Chief Minister Shivraj with retaining tribal support and the BJP’s the same, the present incumbent chief on RSS shakhas in government build- by ABP News-CVoter on October 17 pre-
author’s own Singh Chouhan is striving hard to retain ability to convert welfare schemes into minister is campaigning as if ‘his life ings in its manifesto has evoked sharp dicted a majority for Congress, whereas
the power for the fourth consecutive time, political benefitsor not will decide party’s depends on it.’ However, delivery of these reaction from the BJP, which has alleged IndiaTV-CNX survey predicted a major-
while the Indian National Congress (INC) is electoral fortune. schemes at the ground level, especially that the Congress is displaying deliberate ity for the BJP. Majority for the Congress
contesting to regain its hold over power it This author, who was recently in Madhya in the rural areas, has not been up to the hatred towards the RSS and Hindus. The was predicted by ABP News-CVoter
lost in 2003. There are 2,907 candidates in Pradesh, prior to the polls, found the tribal mark. However, the state leadership of BJP’s star campaigners have been trying survey of November 2, as well as survey
the fray in polls which are being construed people and the farming community in the BJP seems to be more sanguine in the to undercut the Congress party’s subtle by Cvoter on November 9. However,
as the curtain raiser for the general elec- remote rural areas manifesting a mixed wake of PM Modi addressing a smaller message of ‘soft Hindutva’ by question- ABP News-CSDS survey of November 9,
tions in 2019. mood. The BJP is being looked upon a number of rallies in Madhya Pradesh as ing Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s has predicted 116 seats for the BJP and
Having fielded candidates in all the 230 Hindu-only upper caste party and this can compared to Karnataka and Gujarat. Hindu credentials. 105 for the Congress. Another survey by
constituencies, the BJP is sanguine about be a challenge for the BJP in such con- Congress slogan of “Badlaav or Timesnow-CNX, also released on No-
winning 200 plus seats and projected the stituencies. Some critics have opined that Congress strategy change” has caught the imagination of a vember 9, has given 122 seats for the BJP
slogan- Abki Baar, 200 paar. On the other support of tribal community for the BJP is The Congress has striven every nerve large chunk of the electorate, especially and 95 seats for the Congress. An average
hand, 229 seats are being contested by the diminishing compared to 2013. While the to unseat the BJP, which is in power in in rural areas of the state. According to of these surveys predicts a simple major-
Congress and the party has allocated one BJP insiders, on the one hand, are skeptical the state for three consecutive terms, some experts, the popular word “bad- ity for the BJP with 114 seats and 106 seats
seat to the Sharad Yadav-led Loktantrik about support of the farming community with the hope of riding the high anti- laav” has come to increasingly define the for Congress, thereby reflecting a tough
Janata Dal (LJD). The number of candidates in the wake of an array of crises being faced incumbency wave propelled by multiple pre-election mood across districts in the fight between the two national parties.
fielded by the BSP stands at 227 and the by the farmers, on the other hand, the party factors. The Congress has focused on Bundelkhand and Vindhya regions of
SP is contesting for 51 seats. Interestingly, is sanguine about the support of the OBC harnessing people’s growing disen- the state where the common buzzword Way ahead
the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) contesting for groups which are the beneficiaries of a mix chantment over the Chauhan govern- is that the ruling BJP’s tally looks likely to Ahead of the polls, an interesting aspect
the first time has fielded candidates in 208 of welfare concessions. ment’s failure to create jobs, ameliorate go down and the Congress’ set to go up. of electioneering in Madhya Pradesh
constituencies. With 70 per cent of total Sources in the state unit of the BJP the situation of farmers and provide Some analysts of MP politics have attrib- was that there was hardly any discussion
population of Madhya Pradesh engaged in privately acknowledge that the party is better law and order. An interesting uted this penchant for change to local fa- around a number of important issues
Having been in agriculture, the agrarian issues in the wake having a tough time in the upcoming state part of the Congress strategy in Madhya tigue after a long spell of BJP’s rule in MP that have affected the general populace
of increased input costs, limited returns and assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh and jus-
that has been instrumental in spurring
of the state. Another notable feature
Pradesh has been its projection of ‘soft
power for three debt burden of the farmers are going to be tify the reassertion of party’s hard Hindutva Hindutva.’ As per media reports, the Con- disenchantment and fury against the was the emphasis on Hindutva by the
consecutive the most decisive factor in these polls. stance, which they think may turn the tide gress leadership, both Central and state local MLAs, anger among various groups BJP and Congress. Exchange of jibes and
in their favour. One expert has opined that
barbs have come to rule the roost in
level, has reportedly frequented religious — farmers, small traders, the young —

terms in Madhya BJP Stakes perhaps the BJP is contemplating of over- places — temple, mosque, gurudwara — over policy failures, Dalit alienation and electioneering and it is not a healthy de-
Pradesh, the BJP Having been in power for three consecutive riding all the challenges being faced by it across MP. the state government’s inability to walk velopment for a sound democracy. MP is
Congress has tried to break into the
the talk on tall promises and the limited
a key state for any party wanting to be in
terms, the BJP has high stakes in retaining
with the help of three elements - by playing
has high stakes power for the fourth term. Decisive man- on memory, arithmetic, and the continued BJP’s citadel by playing Hindutva card or almost negligible impact of PM Modi’s power at the Centre that is why both the
in retaining date is likely to be delivered by the rural support of the OBCs to woo Hindu electorate, customarily ‘charisma in these elections. BJP and Congress have made it a prestige
population and the Adivasis, especially in
issue outcome of which will be decided
According to some critics, the BJP is
seen as the BJP’s vote bank. Promises
power for the Malwa-Nimat region commanding 66 seats confronted with anti-incumbency factor, of building gaushalas (cowsheds) in Opinion Polls on December 11.
every gram panchayat, establishing a
The opinion polls conducted by vari-
disconnect between the BJP local MLAs
and the Jhabua entailing 47 seats. Undoubt-
fourth term edly, the Chauhan government has tried to and the voters, agrarian crisis, anguish new adhyatmik vibhag (department ous agencies over the months present LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM
TEHELKA / 15 DECEMBER 2018 30 WWW.TEHELKA.COM TEHELKA / 15 DECEMBER 2018 31 WWW.TEHELKA.COM
30-31 Column Anil Singh.indd 2 11/30/2018 6:10:14 PM 30-31 Column Anil Singh.indd 3 11/30/2018 6:10:22 PM