After PM Modi's speech, BJP fields heavyweight union ministers, MPs for Madhya Pradesh assembly polls

Ahead of the assembly polls in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) is leaving nothing to chance. In an attempt to keep all bases covered and avoid any anti-incumbency, the party has gone all in by parachuting two union ministers and high-profile MPs into the second list of candidates.

Union Minister for Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar and Prahlad Singh Patel, minister ofstate for food processing have found themselves in the reckoning for the elections, scheduled to take place in or before November.

While Tomar will contest from the Dimani constituency,Patel will take up the fight from the Narsinghpur area. Besides the cabinet ministers, Rakesh Singh, Ganesh Singh, Riti Pathak and Uday Pratap Singh - all Lok Sabha MPs will be taking the field as well.

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Additionally,BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya will contest from the Indore-1 assembly constituency.

BJP released the list of candidates hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi sounded the poll bugle by holding a mega rally in the capital city of Bhopal. PM Modi tore into the newly-minted INDI Alliance whilst adhering to his usual outreach programme, aimed at women voters.

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Referring to the recent women's reservation bill brought by the BJP government in the parliament, the PM said:"Theghamandia (arrogant)alliance reluctantly supported the women's reservation bill."

"Their intentions are wrong. Once they get an opportunity, theghamandiaalliance will betray the mothers and sisters," he added.

He also called out the previous Congress governments for turning MP into a 'Bimaru' (sick)state.

"The Congress ruled Madhya Pradesh for many years, but the youth in the state witnessed misrule, corruption, and poor law and order. They are against every project made for a developed India and has no thought process for the future. The Congress made Madhya Pradesh a bimaru state,"

Semi-final ahead of general elections?

BJP fielding heavyweights in the assembly polls might be based on the same formula it adopted in Gujarat during the 2022 polls. Batting on PM Modi's home turf, the BJP changed its state leadership, installed a new council of ministers and dropped more than 45 per cent of the sitting MLAs while bringing the old workhorses to use their wisdom and age to plug the gaps.

With the 2024 general elections not far away, poll pundits have termed the battle in Madhya Pradesh the semi-final ahead of the big test which could show the pulse of the nation. However, as has been proven multiple times in the last decade or so, the assembly election results have little to no bearing on the general elections, especially when PM Modi is leading the flanks for his side.

(With inputs from agencies)

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