The political temperatures peaked in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday (Nov 13), where assembly elections are scheduled to take place in three days (Nov 17).

With both Congress and ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) eyeing to rule the central Indian state, the political rallies conducted by these two parties witnessed Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi trading barbs at each other.

While Rahul Gandhi raked up the issue of BJP poaching Congress MLAs, Modi made a personal jibe at the Gandhi scion.

<h2>'BJP poaching MLAs'</h2>

Addressing a rally in Vidisha city, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi accused Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of "purchasing" his party's MLAs and “stealing” government in Madhya Pradesh.

He was referring to the rebellion of 22 Congress MLAs that led to the collapse of the Kamal Nath government in 2020.

"Five years back, all of you elected the Congress party to the government. You did not elect BJP but the Congress party. After that, BJP leaders -- Narendra Modi, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Amit Shah -- purchased MLAs and stole the elected government of Madhya Pradesh," he said in a poll rally in Madhya Pradesh's Vidisha.

"By giving crores of rupees and purchasing MLAs of the Congress party, your decision, the voice of your heart was crushed by the BJP leaders, by the prime minister. You were cheated," he added.

Gandhi vowed that the Congress would "chase away" the BJP in Madhya Pradesh.

<h2>'Congress has already accepted defeat'</h2>

Modi, on the other hand, indirectly referred Rahul as ‘king of fools’ over his remark during a rally on Monday that mobile phones in the people's pockets were "Made in China" and they should rather be "Made in Madhya Pradesh".

"A 'mahagyani' (great sage) from Congress yesterday said people of India have 'Made in China' phones...moorkhon ke sardar (king of fools)...in which world do they live. They have the disease of not seeing their country's progress. India has become the second largest manufacturer of mobile phones in the world," the PM said.

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He further said that some Congress leaders have already accepted defeat and are not even campaigning for votes.

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"Congress leaders don't know what they will say to people. The Congress has accepted that their fake promises don't stand a chance in front of Modi guarantees," he said.

"This election is to stop corruption and loot by Congress in Madhya Pradesh," Modi said.

The political temperatures peaked in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday (Nov 13), where assembly elections are scheduled to take place in three days (Nov 17). With both Congress and ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) eyeing to rule the central Indian state, the political rallies conducted by these two parties witnessed Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi trading barbs at each other.

The political temperatures peaked in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday (Nov 13), where assembly elections are scheduled to take place in three days (Nov 17). With both Congress and ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) eyeing to rule the central Indian state, the political rallies conducted by these two parties witnessed Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi trading barbs at each other. While Rahul Gandhi raked up the issue of BJP poaching Congress MLAs, Modi made a personal jibe at the Gandhi scion. 'BJP poaching MLAs' Addressing a rally in Vidisha city, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi accused Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of "purchasing" his party's MLAs and “stealing” government in Madhya Pradesh. He was referring to the rebellion of 22 Congress MLAs that led to the collapse of the Kamal Nath government in 2020. "Five years back, all of you elected the Congress party to the government. You did not elect BJP but the Congress party. After that, BJP leaders -- Narendra Modi, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Amit Shah -- purchased MLAs and stole the elected government of Madhya Pradesh," he said in a poll rally in Madhya Pradesh's Vidisha. "By giving crores of rupees and purchasing MLAs of the Congress party, your decision, the voice of your heart was crushed by the BJP leaders, by the prime minister. You were cheated," he added. Gandhi vowed that the Congress would "chase away" the BJP in Madhya Pradesh. 'Congress has already accepted defeat' Modi, on the other hand, indirectly referred Rahul as ‘king of fools’ over his remark during a rally on Monday that mobile phones in the people's pockets were "Made in China" and they should rather be "Made in Madhya Pradesh". "A 'mahagyani' (great sage) from Congress yesterday said people of India have 'Made in China' phones...moorkhon ke sardar (king of fools)...in which world do they live. They have the disease of not seeing their country's progress. India has become the second largest manufacturer of mobile phones in the world," the PM said. Also read | Indian poll body serves notices to Priyanka Gandhi, Delhi CM Kejriwal over remarks against PM Modi He further said that some Congress leaders have already accepted defeat and are not even campaigning for votes. Also read | India asks Canada to prevent attacks on places of worship "Congress leaders don't know what they will say to people. The Congress has accepted that their fake promises don't stand a chance in front of Modi guarantees," he said. "This election is to stop corruption and loot by Congress in Madhya Pradesh," Modi said.

‘King of fools’, Modi ‘purchased’ Congress MLAs: Leaders trade barbs in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh

The central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh (literally meaning 'central province') is heading toward legislative assembly elections. The state is currently ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which formed the government after a rebellion within the previous government formed by the Congress. Both parties are keen go grab power in the state and a poster-war targetting top leaders of the two parties is now becoming subject of discussion in the state.

Some days ago, posters featuring Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan's face were seen pasted in several cities of the state. The posters featured a QR code-like image and had words "50% lao, Kam Karao' (Pay 50 per cent, get your work done). The slogan apparently alleged that in order to get your work done from Shivraj Singh government, a hefty bribe needed to be paid.

The ruling BJP has accused Congress of putting up these posters. Congress denies this.

The police have registered an FIR over the poster and a case has been registered against unknown people under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The poster war has since intensified and Kamal Nath, top Congress leader and former chief minister of the state has found himself targetted.

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In Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, posters with words 'wanted corruption Nath' were found pasted. The words were an apparent reference and allegation of corruption during Kamal Nath's tenure as chief minister.

Soon, the residents in the city found new posters, this time targetting Shivraj Singh Chauhan.

"Shivraj nahi, Ghotala raj" roughly meaning 'It's not (of) Shivraj but a regime of scams'

The posters reportedly mentioned allegations of scams including uniform scam,&nbsp;Vyapam scam, uniform scam, e-tendering scam which allegedly took place during Chauhan's tenure.

<h2>No need for certificate from BJP</h2>

Reacting on the posters with words 'wanted corruption Nath', former state CM Kamal Nath said, "No one can humiliate me and there is no case of corruption against me, everyone knows this...Today they don't have anything to say against me so they are doing this. I don't need any certificate from BJP because the people are witnesses."

He was quoted by news agency ANI.

Reacting to the matter, the media adviser of the Congress party, Piyush Babele tweeted, "By putting up objectionable posters of Nath, the BJP has shown that it can go to any low level in the politics. The attempt to tarnish the image of the person, who has served Madhya Pradesh for the last 44 years, is an attack on the pride of Madhya Pradesh. It is an insult to Madhya Pradesh. This is an insult to the service to the state. This is an insult to the goal of making a golden Madhya Pradesh. This is an insult to those crores of people in whose heart Nath resides."

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The central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh (literally meaning 'central province') is heading toward legislative assembly elections. The state is currently ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which formed the government after a rebellion within the previous government formed by the Congress.

The central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh (literally meaning 'central province') is heading toward legislative assembly elections. The state is currently ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which formed the government after a rebellion within the previous government formed by the Congress. Both parties are keen go grab power in the state and a poster-war targetting top leaders of the two parties is now becoming subject of discussion in the state. Some days ago, posters featuring Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan's face were seen pasted in several cities of the state. The posters featured a QR code-like image and had words "50% lao, Kam Karao' (Pay 50 per cent, get your work done). The slogan apparently alleged that in order to get your work done from Shivraj Singh government, a hefty bribe needed to be paid. The ruling BJP has accused Congress of putting up these posters. Congress denies this. The police have registered an FIR over the poster and a case has been registered against unknown people under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC). The poster war has since intensified and Kamal Nath, top Congress leader and former chief minister of the state has found himself targetted. Also Read | India: Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Ravan shot at by car-borne attackers, rushed to hospital In Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, posters with words 'wanted corruption Nath' were found pasted. The words were an apparent reference and allegation of corruption during Kamal Nath's tenure as chief minister. Soon, the residents in the city found new posters, this time targetting Shivraj Singh Chauhan. "Shivraj nahi, Ghotala raj" roughly meaning 'It's not (of) Shivraj but a regime of scams' The posters reportedly mentioned allegations of scams including uniform scam, Vyapam scam, uniform scam, e-tendering scam which allegedly took place during Chauhan's tenure. No need for certificate from BJP Reacting on the posters with words 'wanted corruption Nath', former state CM Kamal Nath said, "No one can humiliate me and there is no case of corruption against me, everyone knows this...Today they don't have anything to say against me so they are doing this. I don't need any certificate from BJP because the people are witnesses." He was quoted by news agency ANI. Reacting to the matter, the media adviser of the Congress party, Piyush Babele tweeted, "By putting up objectionable posters of Nath, the BJP has shown that it can go to any low level in the politics. The attempt to tarnish the image of the person, who has served Madhya Pradesh for the last 44 years, is an attack on the pride of Madhya Pradesh. It is an insult to Madhya Pradesh. This is an insult to the service to the state. This is an insult to the goal of making a golden Madhya Pradesh. This is an insult to those crores of people in whose heart Nath resides." You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Congress-BJP poster war heats up as Madhya Pradesh polls approach

Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath on Thursday said the party will finalise its candidates for the upcoming local body elections in the state in a couple of days and will select those who work to strengthen the organisation.

When asked about infighting in the party over the distribution of tickets, Nath told reporters that everybody is doing a good job, but only one will be able to get the ticket (per seat).

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"Such a situation, sometimes, results in tension", he said, adding that the party will select those who strengthen the organisation.

I am holding a meeting with all the in-charges on the issue and will finalise the candidates for the upcoming local body elections in the state in a day or two, Nath said.

He also remembered the sacrifice of tribal icon Bhagwan Birsa Munda, on the occasion of his death anniversary on Thursday.

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His sacrifice is an inspiration to the young generation. His struggle was not just for tribals, but the entire society, Nath said.

The elections to 347 municipalities in the state will be held in two phases. On July 6, 133 local bodies will go to polls, while the elections in 214 local bodies will be held on July 13, an election official said.

Unlike the panchayat elections, these polls will be held on the party basis, he said.

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The counting for the first-phase polls will be held on July 17, while for the second phase it will be held on July 18, the official said.

The notification for the nomination process will be issued on June 11, last date for filing papers is June 18, the scrutiny will be done on June 20 and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is June 22, the official added.

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Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath on Thursday said the party will finalise its candidates for the upcoming local body elections in the state in a couple of days and will select those who work to strengthen the organisation.

Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath on Thursday said the party will finalise its candidates for the upcoming local body elections in the state in a couple of days and will select those who work to strengthen the organisation. When asked about infighting in the party over the distribution of tickets, Nath told reporters that everybody is doing a good job, but only one will be able to get the ticket (per seat). Also read | Indian Presidential election to be held on July 18, counting on July 21 "Such a situation, sometimes, results in tension", he said, adding that the party will select those who strengthen the organisation. I am holding a meeting with all the in-charges on the issue and will finalise the candidates for the upcoming local body elections in the state in a day or two, Nath said. He also remembered the sacrifice of tribal icon Bhagwan Birsa Munda, on the occasion of his death anniversary on Thursday. Watch | India records nearly 40% jump in daily covid-19 cases His sacrifice is an inspiration to the young generation. His struggle was not just for tribals, but the entire society, Nath said. The elections to 347 municipalities in the state will be held in two phases. On July 6, 133 local bodies will go to polls, while the elections in 214 local bodies will be held on July 13, an election official said. Unlike the panchayat elections, these polls will be held on the party basis, he said. Also read | COVID-19: Sonia Gandhi tests positive, ahead of ED questioning in National Herald case The counting for the first-phase polls will be held on July 17, while for the second phase it will be held on July 18, the official said. The notification for the nomination process will be issued on June 11, last date for filing papers is June 18, the scrutiny will be done on June 20 and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is June 22, the official added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Madhya Pradesh elections: Congress to soon finalise candidates for local body polls

Madhya Pradesh's top election officer has sought a report over a purported video in which Rewa District Collector is heard asking a security official posted outside a strongroom where EVMs are kept to "shoot" anyone who doesn't listen to him and tries to breach the safety ring.

The video, which has gone viral on social media, comes amid the opposition Congress raising doubts over the security arrangement of Electronic Voting Machines used in the November 28 election and kept in strongrooms across the state.

Asked about the controversial video featuring Rewa District Collector Preeti Maithil, Chief Electoral Officer V L Kantha Rao told reporters Monday, "We have sought a report in this regard. On receiving, this report would be forwarded to the Election Commission of India."

During elections, District Collectors function as returning officers in their respective districts and supervise the polling process.

The video appears to have been shot when Maithil was inspecting the security of strongrooms along with candidates.

In the video, Maithil is heard saying she has had a long career and would not spoil it for polls or over some petty issue.

"I will not put my career at stake... You trust him (turning to a security man moving with them)...Shoot if someone doesn't listen to you (and tries to breach the security of the strongroom)," she says in the clip.

In reply to another question, Rao said the candidates would be handed over the tabulation sheet after every round of counting, which will take place on December 11, to dispel any doubt related to vote count.

Madhya Pradesh's top election officer has sought a report over a purported video in which Rewa District Collector is heard asking a security official posted outside a strongroom where EVMs are kept to "shoot" anyone who doesn't listen to him and tries to breach the safety ring.

Madhya Pradesh's top election officer has sought a report over a purported video in which Rewa District Collector is heard asking a security official posted outside a strongroom where EVMs are kept to "shoot" anyone who doesn't listen to him and tries to breach the safety ring. The video, which has gone viral on social media, comes amid the opposition Congress raising doubts over the security arrangement of Electronic Voting Machines used in the November 28 election and kept in strongrooms across the state. Asked about the controversial video featuring Rewa District Collector Preeti Maithil, Chief Electoral Officer V L Kantha Rao told reporters Monday, "We have sought a report in this regard. On receiving, this report would be forwarded to the Election Commission of India." During elections, District Collectors function as returning officers in their respective districts and supervise the polling process. The video appears to have been shot when Maithil was inspecting the security of strongrooms along with candidates. In the video, Maithil is heard saying she has had a long career and would not spoil it for polls or over some petty issue. "I will not put my career at stake... You trust him (turning to a security man moving with them)...Shoot if someone doesn't listen to you (and tries to breach the security of the strongroom)," she says in the clip. In reply to another question, Rao said the candidates would be handed over the tabulation sheet after every round of counting, which will take place on December 11, to dispel any doubt related to vote count.

Rewa Collector's order to shoot EVM intruders: Madhya Pradesh CEO seeks report over video

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News brief: Big stories of the day

The stakes are too high for both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the main Opposition Congress in the central Indian state&nbsp;of Madhya Pradesh where polling for the general election to the state Assembly is being held today.

The BJP has remained in power continuously for fifteen years in Madhya Pradesh. After the Congress party’s defeat that brought to an end 10 years of Digvijaya Singh rule in 2003, the BJP has seen three chief ministers in the state – Uma Bharati (8 December 2003 – 22 August 2004), Babulal Gaur (23 August 2004 – 29 November 2005), and Shivraj Singh Chouhan (29 November 2005 till now).

In the Madhya Pradesh Assembly election, while the BJP is not leaving a single stone unturned to return to power for the fourth time in a row, the Congress also is using every tactic to turn the tables on the BJP. In this state, where electoral politics continues to remain highly polarised between the BJP and Congress, the present election is being treated by them not merely as the means to form a government in MP but also as the road to power at the Centre as victory in this election will come as a shot in the arm and pave the way for bigger success in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

In Madhya Pradesh, there are more than 50 million voters, who have the right to elect their MLAs from among 2,907 candidates in the fray for 230 Assembly seats. In a large number of constituencies, there are anywhere between 10 to 20 candidates pitted against each other, but in 8 constituencies, the total number of candidates is more than 20. The constituencies with maximum contestants, shown in brackets, are Ater, Bhind district (33), Narela, Bhopal district (31), Satna (30), Khurai, Sagar district (27), Rampur Baghelan, Satna district, &nbsp;Deotalab, Rewa district (both 23), Patharia, Damoh district (21) and Sausar, Chhindwara (20).

A large number of candidates in most constituencies notwithstanding, a close analysis of the candidates’ list shows that there is a straight contest between the Congress and the BJP for about 150 of the total 230 seats in the state Assembly. There are a few dozen seats, mostly in districts adjoining Uttar Pradesh, where the contest would be triangular due to the presence of candidates belonging to the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party. People had started looking forward to the third force playing a crucial role in the Madhya Pradesh election keeping in view the highly successful people’s Movement against the caste-based quota system led by “Samanya Pichda Alpsankhyak Kalyan Samaj Sanstha” (popularly called Sapaks Samaj), a citizens’ organisation. This Movement has got divided and fragmented after a group of retired government officers, who joined Sapaks Samaj only a few months ago cobbled up a disparate group and got a party registered by the name of Sapaks Party. It has entered the election arena blowing aloud the “third force” trumpet but on the ground, its presence is hardly visible.

In many constituencies, the BJP has been struck hard by the presence of rebel candidates, who chose to revolt after they were denied tickets. Along with anti-incumbency, BJP is finding itself against the wall on issues like corruption charges, lop-sided development – especially in far-flung rural areas, and poor implementation of welfare schemes, including the ambitious Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana (price difference payment scheme) launched recently by the Madhya Pradesh government to pay the farmers the difference between official minimum support price (MSP) and the price at which they sell their crops. Besides raking up these issues, the Congress Party led by party president Rahul Gandhi, who has addressed several election rallies in the state, has also taken Prime Minister Narendra Modi head on over issues like corruption and the harsh impact of demonetisation. The Prime Minister, during his rallies in the state, also has hit the Congress hard. His reply to the Congress on salvos fired at him on the issue of demonetisation is that the hard step had to be taken to combat the scourge of black money generated due to rampant corruption during the earlier Congress regime.

Media, in general, has refrained from projecting the poll outcome in MP. There has been a lot of talk of Congress frittering away its advantage arising from the anti-incumbent sentiment as a result of inner-party rivalry. Congress leaders have dismissed this charge and their argument is that the regional satraps are doing their best to ensure the victory of Congress candidates in their respective areas of influence. In the past, Congress has always emerged victorious when it has followed this strategy.

Although, there is no wave in Madhya Pradesh,&nbsp;but the undercurrents for change are being felt across the State. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The stakes are too high for both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the main Opposition Congress in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh where polling for the general election to the state Assembly is being held today.

The stakes are too high for both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the main Opposition Congress in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh where polling for the general election to the state Assembly is being held today. The BJP has remained in power continuously for fifteen years in Madhya Pradesh. After the Congress party’s defeat that brought to an end 10 years of Digvijaya Singh rule in 2003, the BJP has seen three chief ministers in the state – Uma Bharati (8 December 2003 – 22 August 2004), Babulal Gaur (23 August 2004 – 29 November 2005), and Shivraj Singh Chouhan (29 November 2005 till now). In the Madhya Pradesh Assembly election, while the BJP is not leaving a single stone unturned to return to power for the fourth time in a row, the Congress also is using every tactic to turn the tables on the BJP. In this state, where electoral politics continues to remain highly polarised between the BJP and Congress, the present election is being treated by them not merely as the means to form a government in MP but also as the road to power at the Centre as victory in this election will come as a shot in the arm and pave the way for bigger success in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. In Madhya Pradesh, there are more than 50 million voters, who have the right to elect their MLAs from among 2,907 candidates in the fray for 230 Assembly seats. In a large number of constituencies, there are anywhere between 10 to 20 candidates pitted against each other, but in 8 constituencies, the total number of candidates is more than 20. The constituencies with maximum contestants, shown in brackets, are Ater, Bhind district (33), Narela, Bhopal district (31), Satna (30), Khurai, Sagar district (27), Rampur Baghelan, Satna district, Deotalab, Rewa district (both 23), Patharia, Damoh district (21) and Sausar, Chhindwara (20). A large number of candidates in most constituencies notwithstanding, a close analysis of the candidates’ list shows that there is a straight contest between the Congress and the BJP for about 150 of the total 230 seats in the state Assembly. There are a few dozen seats, mostly in districts adjoining Uttar Pradesh, where the contest would be triangular due to the presence of candidates belonging to the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party. People had started looking forward to the third force playing a crucial role in the Madhya Pradesh election keeping in view the highly successful people’s Movement against the caste-based quota system led by “Samanya Pichda Alpsankhyak Kalyan Samaj Sanstha” (popularly called Sapaks Samaj), a citizens’ organisation. This Movement has got divided and fragmented after a group of retired government officers, who joined Sapaks Samaj only a few months ago cobbled up a disparate group and got a party registered by the name of Sapaks Party. It has entered the election arena blowing aloud the “third force” trumpet but on the ground, its presence is hardly visible. In many constituencies, the BJP has been struck hard by the presence of rebel candidates, who chose to revolt after they were denied tickets. Along with anti-incumbency, BJP is finding itself against the wall on issues like corruption charges, lop-sided development – especially in far-flung rural areas, and poor implementation of welfare schemes, including the ambitious Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana (price difference payment scheme) launched recently by the Madhya Pradesh government to pay the farmers the difference between official minimum support price (MSP) and the price at which they sell their crops. Besides raking up these issues, the Congress Party led by party president Rahul Gandhi, who has addressed several election rallies in the state, has also taken Prime Minister Narendra Modi head on over issues like corruption and the harsh impact of demonetisation. The Prime Minister, during his rallies in the state, also has hit the Congress hard. His reply to the Congress on salvos fired at him on the issue of demonetisation is that the hard step had to be taken to combat the scourge of black money generated due to rampant corruption during the earlier Congress regime. Media, in general, has refrained from projecting the poll outcome in MP. There has been a lot of talk of Congress frittering away its advantage arising from the anti-incumbent sentiment as a result of inner-party rivalry. Congress leaders have dismissed this charge and their argument is that the regional satraps are doing their best to ensure the victory of Congress candidates in their respective areas of influence. In the past, Congress has always emerged victorious when it has followed this strategy. Although, there is no wave in Madhya Pradesh, but the undercurrents for change are being felt across the State. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Assembly elections 2018: Congress banking on anti-incumbent sentiment in Madhya Pradesh

As the voting kick-started in Madhya Pradesh, multiple instances of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) malfunctioning have been reported, thus temporarily stalling the polling process.

In Mohana booth number 55, the EVM has stopped working and no voter has been able to cast vote since morning, while in Ujjain, two EVMs were replaced due to errors. In Alirajpur, a total of 11 VVPAT machines were replaced and polling was resumed. In Burhanpur, five VVPATs and two EVMs were replaced after being found defective.

Meanwhile, in Bhopal Central region, two EVMs were reported to be faulty, following which a team of the Election Commission was sent to replace machines.

Campaign material was seized from a person said to be a BJP polling agent from a booth in Saint Mary's, Bhopal, as it was within 200 metres of a polling booth. The police have arrested one person with regards to the case.

Amid tight security, Madhya Pradesh is voting for a new assembly today. The voting is being underway at 65,341 polling booths, which have been set up for the single-phase elections to 230 seats of the state Assembly. As many as 2,000 booths will entirely be operated by women staff. Special arrangements have been made for visually impaired people to help them cast their votes.

A total of 5,04,95,251 voters including 1389 third gender will cast their votes to decide the fortune of as many as 2,907 candidates, who are in the fray. The State Election Commission has made elaborate security arrangements to ensure that polling takes place in a free and fair manner.

The result of the poll will be declared on December 11.

As the voting kick-started in Madhya Pradesh, multiple instances of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) malfunctioning have been reported, thus temporarily stalling the polling process.

As the voting kick-started in Madhya Pradesh, multiple instances of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) malfunctioning have been reported, thus temporarily stalling the polling process. In Mohana booth number 55, the EVM has stopped working and no voter has been able to cast vote since morning, while in Ujjain, two EVMs were replaced due to errors. In Alirajpur, a total of 11 VVPAT machines were replaced and polling was resumed. In Burhanpur, five VVPATs and two EVMs were replaced after being found defective. Meanwhile, in Bhopal Central region, two EVMs were reported to be faulty, following which a team of the Election Commission was sent to replace machines. Campaign material was seized from a person said to be a BJP polling agent from a booth in Saint Mary's, Bhopal, as it was within 200 metres of a polling booth. The police have arrested one person with regards to the case. Amid tight security, Madhya Pradesh is voting for a new assembly today. The voting is being underway at 65,341 polling booths, which have been set up for the single-phase elections to 230 seats of the state Assembly. As many as 2,000 booths will entirely be operated by women staff. Special arrangements have been made for visually impaired people to help them cast their votes. A total of 5,04,95,251 voters including 1389 third gender will cast their votes to decide the fortune of as many as 2,907 candidates, who are in the fray. The State Election Commission has made elaborate security arrangements to ensure that polling takes place in a free and fair manner. The result of the poll will be declared on December 11.

Faulty EVMs, VVPATs halt polling in few constituencies in Madhya Pradesh

In crucial battleground of Madhya Pradesh, groups based on caste and tribe are joining the electoral fray even as the Congress tries to find its real voice and plank amidst its attempts to recast its image in ‘soft Hindutva’. &nbsp;

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, meanwhile, is on a spree of announcing one sop after another, desperate to ensure that he can return to power a record fourth time.

Madhya Pradesh has a total of 230 seats, and presently BJP holds a lion’s share of them (165).&nbsp;

Samanya Pichhra Alpsankhyak Kalyan Samaj (Sapaks) claims to speak for all castes but is, in essence, an upper-caste dominated group that opposes reservation on caste-lines. It has said that the group will support candidates in as many seats as possible. Similarly, Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS), a tribal outfit, has been campaigning for months across tribal-dominated areas in the state and is going to contest at least 80 seats. It has also roped in Bollywood actor Govinda to campaign during elections. &nbsp;

Besides these two groups, AAP is also in the electoral fray and is likely to get some traction in urban areas. Another player will be Swaraj Abhiyan which has been active in Madhya Pradesh for the last couple of years and will support candidates who wish to contest on its farmer-driven agenda.&nbsp;

Traditionally, Madhya Pradesh has been a bi-polar state with power changing hands between the BJP and the Congress. However, the Congress has been out of power in the state since 2003 and post-2014 the Modi phenomenon has worsened its condition at the ground with the party struggling to find booth-level workers.&nbsp;

The Congress was planning an alliance with the BSP. However, BSP has already announced its first list of 22 candidates and is maintaining that it will fight 230 Assembly seats on its own. It’s a failure of the Congres&nbsp;because interestingly the combined vote share of Congress-BSP almost matches that of the BJP, and therefore if the two parties were able to work out an alliance, the BJP might have found it difficult to counter it. &nbsp;

Over the last 15 years, the BJP has grown from strength to strength. RSS, its ideological mentor, too has come to dominate the party and government policy of the state.

While this has created a very stable supporter base for the party, it has also generated resentment among cadres who have come to harbour a feeling of being ignored and sidelined. The most recent example of this was the resignation of BJP Minister Padma Shukla from the state cabinet a day before Prime Minister Modi’s rally in Bhopal.&nbsp;

While it is impossible to estimate the size of the disgruntled section within BJP, it can be safely said that it is big enough to give the party sleepless nights. To address some of this resentment it has appointed Lok Sabha MP from Jabalpur, Rakesh Singh as its state president.&nbsp;

The party has also reached out directly to the electorate with schemes and sops that it should have ideally implemented years ago. The MP government has recently announced a pay hike for ‘guest teachers’, loan waivers for farmers, increase in stipends for MDM cooks, and government doctors as well the creation of 38 new administrative blocks in 29 districts.&nbsp;

However, the general perception is that the Congress is not strong enough to take on the BJP and this perhaps explains the rise of smaller outfits seeking to make the most of BJP’s 15 year-long anti-incumbency.&nbsp;

 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

In crucial battleground of Madhya Pradesh, groups based on caste and tribe are joining the electoral fray even as the Congress tries to find its real voice and plank amidst its attempts to recast its image in ‘soft Hindutva’.

In crucial battleground of Madhya Pradesh, groups based on caste and tribe are joining the electoral fray even as the Congress tries to find its real voice and plank amidst its attempts to recast its image in ‘soft Hindutva’. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, meanwhile, is on a spree of announcing one sop after another, desperate to ensure that he can return to power a record fourth time. Madhya Pradesh has a total of 230 seats, and presently BJP holds a lion’s share of them (165). Samanya Pichhra Alpsankhyak Kalyan Samaj (Sapaks) claims to speak for all castes but is, in essence, an upper-caste dominated group that opposes reservation on caste-lines. It has said that the group will support candidates in as many seats as possible. Similarly, Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS), a tribal outfit, has been campaigning for months across tribal-dominated areas in the state and is going to contest at least 80 seats. It has also roped in Bollywood actor Govinda to campaign during elections. Besides these two groups, AAP is also in the electoral fray and is likely to get some traction in urban areas. Another player will be Swaraj Abhiyan which has been active in Madhya Pradesh for the last couple of years and will support candidates who wish to contest on its farmer-driven agenda. Traditionally, Madhya Pradesh has been a bi-polar state with power changing hands between the BJP and the Congress. However, the Congress has been out of power in the state since 2003 and post-2014 the Modi phenomenon has worsened its condition at the ground with the party struggling to find booth-level workers. The Congress was planning an alliance with the BSP. However, BSP has already announced its first list of 22 candidates and is maintaining that it will fight 230 Assembly seats on its own. It’s a failure of the Congres because interestingly the combined vote share of Congress-BSP almost matches that of the BJP, and therefore if the two parties were able to work out an alliance, the BJP might have found it difficult to counter it. Over the last 15 years, the BJP has grown from strength to strength. RSS, its ideological mentor, too has come to dominate the party and government policy of the state. While this has created a very stable supporter base for the party, it has also generated resentment among cadres who have come to harbour a feeling of being ignored and sidelined. The most recent example of this was the resignation of BJP Minister Padma Shukla from the state cabinet a day before Prime Minister Modi’s rally in Bhopal. While it is impossible to estimate the size of the disgruntled section within BJP, it can be safely said that it is big enough to give the party sleepless nights. To address some of this resentment it has appointed Lok Sabha MP from Jabalpur, Rakesh Singh as its state president. The party has also reached out directly to the electorate with schemes and sops that it should have ideally implemented years ago. The MP government has recently announced a pay hike for ‘guest teachers’, loan waivers for farmers, increase in stipends for MDM cooks, and government doctors as well the creation of 38 new administrative blocks in 29 districts. However, the general perception is that the Congress is not strong enough to take on the BJP and this perhaps explains the rise of smaller outfits seeking to make the most of BJP’s 15 year-long anti-incumbency. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Madhya Pradesh turns into a political battleground

While Congress has almost finalised its list of candidates for 115 seats out of a total of 230, insiders in the state unit say that the party is likely to alienate many district units and booth level workers because of the way candidates were selected. &nbsp;The Congress’s first list is expected to be out next week. For half of these 115 seats, most of the 58 sitting MLAs have been given the ticket again.

Many of the remaining 57 seats have been distributed using PCC President Kamalnath’s criterion of ‘winnability’. This has meant that many Congress loyalists have been ignored and are now sulking. The difference between victory and defeat in most of the seats in the 2013 elections was only a 2,000-3,000 votes and these disgruntled Congressmen are likely to hurt the party’s chances at the booth level.&nbsp;

But Congress’s problems are not limited to resentment caused by ‘outsiders’ alone. Even though Congress president Rahul Gandhi had categorically stated that ‘outsiders’ will not be given tickets, his state president seems to have quickly realised that given the rampant factionalism in Congress at every level, bringing in ‘outsider’ candidates would perhaps be least damaging to the party’s chances. &nbsp;

In many assembly seats, Congress is also facing what can be called the mini-dynasty syndrome. In such places, one family has been fighting elections on the party’s tickets for decades. Naturally, the party’s prospects have suffered because of that. But it seems even in this crucial election, Congress is unable to recognise this dynastic-politics as a problem.&nbsp;

Take the example of Raisen district bordering Bhopal where for at least the last two decades a particular candidate, Prabhuram Chaudhary, has been getting the Congress ticket. While he has lost the last two elections to BJP minister Gauri Shankar Shejwar, &nbsp;sources in the Congress say Chaudhary is tipped to be given the ticket this time as well. &nbsp;

This has led to a disillusionment with the party, and as a result, many local Congress leaders are likely to stay on the sidelines instead of working for the same old candidate. In such seats, &nbsp;Kamalnath’s ‘winnability factor’ is trumped by cynical factionalism that has been the bane of Congress in Madhya Pradesh and other states.&nbsp;

Chaudhary is said to be backed by chief ministerial aspirant and Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, and therefore despite his clear ‘unwinnability’ he is most likely to get the ticket. &nbsp;Another seat being closely watched is Budhni, from where chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan is an MLA. &nbsp;It is being speculated that a total outsider, Arjun Arya, is likely to get the Congress nomination from this seat. &nbsp;Congress still has significant support in Budhni and garnered more than 36, 000 votes in the 2013 election despite infighting. If Congress’s state leadership can send a message of unity from this seat it will certainly boost its cadres' morale in the rest of the state. &nbsp;

But Scindia is just one of the factional leaders in the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, and has influence over 15-17 seats in the state. Besides him, there are other big and small factions like Digvijaya Singh (who controls more than half of the present Congress MLAs), Kamalnath himself and Arun Yadav, the former state president with influence in a few seats. &nbsp;

Almost every seat in the state has different factions with allegiance to one of the aforementioned leaders and to get them all united towards the common aim of defeating the BJP is proving to be a Herculean task for the grand old party. &nbsp;

It is this factionalism that was at blatant display at the Bhopal rally of Rahul Gandhi. When state media in charge Shobha Ozha tried to get Scindia and Kamalnath to join hands in a show of support, Scindia was seen pulling away from it. This move was just one visible sign of the disunity in the party.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In 2013 elections as well Congress’s crab mentality had led to its poor performance, winning just 58 seats as opposed to the incumbent BJP which had won 166 seats.&nbsp;&nbsp;

At the moment Congress leaders, aware as they are of the serious infighting, are only hoping that they will be able to come closer to the halfway mark of 116 seats. This speaks volumes about the party’s organisational unity and strength as it goes into polls against a three-term BJP government beset with anti-incumbency.&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

While Congress has almost finalised its list of candidates for 115 seats out of a total of 230, insiders in the state unit say that the party is likely to alienate many district units and booth level workers because of the way candidates were selected.

While Congress has almost finalised its list of candidates for 115 seats out of a total of 230, insiders in the state unit say that the party is likely to alienate many district units and booth level workers because of the way candidates were selected. The Congress’s first list is expected to be out next week. For half of these 115 seats, most of the 58 sitting MLAs have been given the ticket again. Many of the remaining 57 seats have been distributed using PCC President Kamalnath’s criterion of ‘winnability’. This has meant that many Congress loyalists have been ignored and are now sulking. The difference between victory and defeat in most of the seats in the 2013 elections was only a 2,000-3,000 votes and these disgruntled Congressmen are likely to hurt the party’s chances at the booth level. But Congress’s problems are not limited to resentment caused by ‘outsiders’ alone. Even though Congress president Rahul Gandhi had categorically stated that ‘outsiders’ will not be given tickets, his state president seems to have quickly realised that given the rampant factionalism in Congress at every level, bringing in ‘outsider’ candidates would perhaps be least damaging to the party’s chances. In many assembly seats, Congress is also facing what can be called the mini-dynasty syndrome. In such places, one family has been fighting elections on the party’s tickets for decades. Naturally, the party’s prospects have suffered because of that. But it seems even in this crucial election, Congress is unable to recognise this dynastic-politics as a problem. Take the example of Raisen district bordering Bhopal where for at least the last two decades a particular candidate, Prabhuram Chaudhary, has been getting the Congress ticket. While he has lost the last two elections to BJP minister Gauri Shankar Shejwar, sources in the Congress say Chaudhary is tipped to be given the ticket this time as well. This has led to a disillusionment with the party, and as a result, many local Congress leaders are likely to stay on the sidelines instead of working for the same old candidate. In such seats, Kamalnath’s ‘winnability factor’ is trumped by cynical factionalism that has been the bane of Congress in Madhya Pradesh and other states. Chaudhary is said to be backed by chief ministerial aspirant and Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, and therefore despite his clear ‘unwinnability’ he is most likely to get the ticket. Another seat being closely watched is Budhni, from where chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan is an MLA. It is being speculated that a total outsider, Arjun Arya, is likely to get the Congress nomination from this seat. Congress still has significant support in Budhni and garnered more than 36, 000 votes in the 2013 election despite infighting. If Congress’s state leadership can send a message of unity from this seat it will certainly boost its cadres' morale in the rest of the state. But Scindia is just one of the factional leaders in the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, and has influence over 15-17 seats in the state. Besides him, there are other big and small factions like Digvijaya Singh (who controls more than half of the present Congress MLAs), Kamalnath himself and Arun Yadav, the former state president with influence in a few seats. Almost every seat in the state has different factions with allegiance to one of the aforementioned leaders and to get them all united towards the common aim of defeating the BJP is proving to be a Herculean task for the grand old party. It is this factionalism that was at blatant display at the Bhopal rally of Rahul Gandhi. When state media in charge Shobha Ozha tried to get Scindia and Kamalnath to join hands in a show of support, Scindia was seen pulling away from it. This move was just one visible sign of the disunity in the party. In 2013 elections as well Congress’s crab mentality had led to its poor performance, winning just 58 seats as opposed to the incumbent BJP which had won 166 seats. At the moment Congress leaders, aware as they are of the serious infighting, are only hoping that they will be able to come closer to the halfway mark of 116 seats. This speaks volumes about the party’s organisational unity and strength as it goes into polls against a three-term BJP government beset with anti-incumbency. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Congress is on shaky ground in Madhya Pradesh

Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan will conduct elections to their legislative assemblies over the next seven weeks. Chhattisgarh will be the first to switch on the electronic voting machines (November 12) and will be followed by MP (November 28) and Rajasthan (December 7). The elections to these states are politically significant. They are equally significant from the perspective of (1) economic development, (2) diversity of livelihoods, (3) incomes of households, and (4) the impact of governance on development, rural livelihoods, urban livelihoods and incomes. 
 
The results will answer three questions pertinent to electoral outcomes and economic governance. Chhattisgarh, MP and Rajasthan are not similar to one another. They have serious dissimilarities, though they have been historically and erroneously grouped as India’s economic laggards.

The three states share three significant similarities. First, they have no coastline. Second, their rural households are in a tight range between 73.27 per cent and 74.53 per cent of the total households. By contrast, rural households constitute 67.69 per cent of India’s total households. This rural bias has weighed down heavily and for long on them. Third, all three states have incumbent governments constituted by the same party that governs India now.

The three questions pertinent to electoral outcomes and economic governance will be presented through this summarised assessment of the performance of the incumbent governments of the three states. This assessment is based on the proportion of households with annual incomes (1) below Rs 75,000, (2) between Rs 75,000 and Rs 2,00,000, (3) between Rs 2,00,000 and Rs 3,00,000, (4) between Rs 3,00,000 and Rs 4,00,000, and (5) above Rs 4,00,000.

Each state’s performance is compared with India’s performance. The data are not adjusted for inflation, population growth and migration since such adjustment is unnecessary for cross-sectional comparison.

The first assessment: All three states have performed discernibly better than all of India in the two periods 2011 to 2014 and 2014 to 2017. All three states had accelerated development between 2014 and 2017. There was a 141 per cent growth in the number of rural and urban households that moved from the below-poverty group to the middle-income group across India. By contrast, Chhattisgarh moved 235 per cent more from the below-poverty group to the middle-income group. MP moved 237 per cent more; Rajasthan moved 210 per cent more. The curative impact on the causes of poverty has been comprehensive in the three states.

The first question: Are accelerated poverty reduction and income growth the results when the states and India have incumbent governments constituted by the same party?

The second assessment: All three states have performed discernibly better than all of India in the two periods 2011 to 2014 and 2014 to 2017 in pushing rural households into prosperity. All of India posted a 780 per cent growth in the number of rural households with annual incomes above Rs 4,00,000. By contrast, Chhattisgarh moved 819 per cent more from the middle-income group to the above Rs 4,00,000 group; Madhya Pradesh moved 947 per cent more; Rajasthan moved 921 per cent more. The second question: Is the objective of accomplishing rural prosperity better served when the states and India have incumbent governments constituted by the same party?

The third assessment: Chhattisgarh and MP have dazzled by building a strong rural middle-income group. All of India posted a 759 per cent growth in the number of rural households that moved to the middle-income group from below Rs 75,000. By contrast, Chhattisgarh moved 1,438 per cent more to the middle-income group; MP moved 1,412 per cent more. Rajasthan moved merely 728 per cent more, which is lower than India’s 759 per cent. This performance pertains to the rural middle-income group. However, Rajasthan has posted a 722 per cent growth in the number of urban households that moved to the above Rs 4,00,000 group. By contrast, all of India has posted a 394 per cent growth in the urban households that moved to the above Rs 4,00,000 group. Rajasthan has strengthened its base for manufacturing, mining and tourism-cum-hospitality since 2014. It has facilitated the economic migration of households from rural-agrarian activities to urban-industrial and urban-services activities. Rajasthan has outperformed all of India in enabling its households to move to lower income risk and higher value addition.

Economic variety and heterogeneity are strengths. They reduce the riskiness of household incomes and the aggregate economic risk of the state. Moreover, Rajasthan comprises five different agro-climatic zones (ACZs) that are exposed to higher event risk and failure. By contrast, Chhattisgarh and MP comprise merely one ACZ and three ACZs. Rural incomes in Rajasthan are by nature risky. The third question: How should incumbent governments create, orchestrate and communicate economic policy when the state needs more economic variety and heterogeneous vigour? Is economic migration wrong? It is apt that the three questions will be answered on the same day, December 11, 2018. 
&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-three-states-one-empirical-test-and-one-decisive-answer-2681406">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan will conduct elections to their legislative assemblies over the next seven weeks. Chhattisgarh will be the first to switch on the electronic voting machines (November 12) and will be followed by MP (November 28) and Rajasthan (December 7).

Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan will conduct elections to their legislative assemblies over the next seven weeks. Chhattisgarh will be the first to switch on the electronic voting machines (November 12) and will be followed by MP (November 28) and Rajasthan (December 7). The elections to these states are politically significant. They are equally significant from the perspective of (1) economic development, (2) diversity of livelihoods, (3) incomes of households, and (4) the impact of governance on development, rural livelihoods, urban livelihoods and incomes. The results will answer three questions pertinent to electoral outcomes and economic governance. Chhattisgarh, MP and Rajasthan are not similar to one another. They have serious dissimilarities, though they have been historically and erroneously grouped as India’s economic laggards. The three states share three significant similarities. First, they have no coastline. Second, their rural households are in a tight range between 73.27 per cent and 74.53 per cent of the total households. By contrast, rural households constitute 67.69 per cent of India’s total households. This rural bias has weighed down heavily and for long on them. Third, all three states have incumbent governments constituted by the same party that governs India now. The three questions pertinent to electoral outcomes and economic governance will be presented through this summarised assessment of the performance of the incumbent governments of the three states. This assessment is based on the proportion of households with annual incomes (1) below Rs 75,000, (2) between Rs 75,000 and Rs 2,00,000, (3) between Rs 2,00,000 and Rs 3,00,000, (4) between Rs 3,00,000 and Rs 4,00,000, and (5) above Rs 4,00,000. Each state’s performance is compared with India’s performance. The data are not adjusted for inflation, population growth and migration since such adjustment is unnecessary for cross-sectional comparison. The first assessment: All three states have performed discernibly better than all of India in the two periods 2011 to 2014 and 2014 to 2017. All three states had accelerated development between 2014 and 2017. There was a 141 per cent growth in the number of rural and urban households that moved from the below-poverty group to the middle-income group across India. By contrast, Chhattisgarh moved 235 per cent more from the below-poverty group to the middle-income group. MP moved 237 per cent more; Rajasthan moved 210 per cent more. The curative impact on the causes of poverty has been comprehensive in the three states. The first question: Are accelerated poverty reduction and income growth the results when the states and India have incumbent governments constituted by the same party? The second assessment: All three states have performed discernibly better than all of India in the two periods 2011 to 2014 and 2014 to 2017 in pushing rural households into prosperity. All of India posted a 780 per cent growth in the number of rural households with annual incomes above Rs 4,00,000. By contrast, Chhattisgarh moved 819 per cent more from the middle-income group to the above Rs 4,00,000 group; Madhya Pradesh moved 947 per cent more; Rajasthan moved 921 per cent more. The second question: Is the objective of accomplishing rural prosperity better served when the states and India have incumbent governments constituted by the same party? The third assessment: Chhattisgarh and MP have dazzled by building a strong rural middle-income group. All of India posted a 759 per cent growth in the number of rural households that moved to the middle-income group from below Rs 75,000. By contrast, Chhattisgarh moved 1,438 per cent more to the middle-income group; MP moved 1,412 per cent more. Rajasthan moved merely 728 per cent more, which is lower than India’s 759 per cent. This performance pertains to the rural middle-income group. However, Rajasthan has posted a 722 per cent growth in the number of urban households that moved to the above Rs 4,00,000 group. By contrast, all of India has posted a 394 per cent growth in the urban households that moved to the above Rs 4,00,000 group. Rajasthan has strengthened its base for manufacturing, mining and tourism-cum-hospitality since 2014. It has facilitated the economic migration of households from rural-agrarian activities to urban-industrial and urban-services activities. Rajasthan has outperformed all of India in enabling its households to move to lower income risk and higher value addition. Economic variety and heterogeneity are strengths. They reduce the riskiness of household incomes and the aggregate economic risk of the state. Moreover, Rajasthan comprises five different agro-climatic zones (ACZs) that are exposed to higher event risk and failure. By contrast, Chhattisgarh and MP comprise merely one ACZ and three ACZs. Rural incomes in Rajasthan are by nature risky. The third question: How should incumbent governments create, orchestrate and communicate economic policy when the state needs more economic variety and heterogeneous vigour? Is economic migration wrong? It is apt that the three questions will be answered on the same day, December 11, 2018. (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Three states, one empirical test and one decisive answer

Dealing a blow to the Congress's plans to sew up an alliance, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Thursday announced 22 candidates for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections and said it will contest all 230 seats.

The list includes three sitting MLAs.

State Congress president Kamal Nath had said earlier that his party wants to join hands with like-minded parties such as the BSP for taking on the ruling BJP.

Nath had also met BSP supremo Mayawati on July 15.

However, the BSP said Thursday that it will contest all 230 Assembly seats on its own in the state where elections are due by year-end.

A Congress leader said on the condition of anonymity that his party still has hopes that an alliance with the BSP will materialise.

"They have announced only 22 candidates, including three sitting MLAs, for the seats where their position is strong. It is just a move to scare us and get a better seat sharing deal," he said.

"We had offered them 15-16 seats but they wanted more," he said.

However, BSP's Madhya Pradesh in-charge Ram Achal Rajbhar said his party will contest all 230 seats.

The list of candidates released by Rajbhar includes three out of the party's four sitting MLAs: Sheela Tyagi (Mangawa seat), Usha Choudhary (Raigaon) and Satyaprakash Sakwar (Ambah).

The name of a fourth BSP MLA, Balveer Singh Dandotia who represents Dimni in Morena district, does not figure in the list. BSP sources said he wants to contest from the Morena Assembly seat this time.

The list also names candidates for Assembly seats in Datia, Bhind, Shivpuri, Ashoknagar, Chhattarpur, Damoh, Singrauli, Sidhi, Shahdol, Umaria, Katni and Jabalpur districts.&nbsp;

Alliance with Ajit Jogi 
In another setback to the Congress, BSP supremo Mayawati today announced an alliance with Ajit Jogi's Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) for Chhattisgarh elections and declared him the chief ministerial candidate.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will contest 35 seats and the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh 55 in the 90-member Assembly.&nbsp;

"We have decided to forge an alliance with the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh. Ajit Jogi will be the chief ministerial candidate," Mayawati said at a press conference here.

"My views on alliance with other parties are clear. We will go for an alliance if our party gets a respectable number of seats and if the ideologies match," she said.

Mayawati said the BSP and the JCC will soon launch a joint election campaign and a plan for conducting rallies will be finalised soon.

Replying to a question, she said, "Both the parties are capable of stopping the BJP in the state. If some other regional parties want to join us, we will take their help."

She alleged that the BJP government in Chhattisgarh did nothing for the state in the past 15 years and that a "strong regional representation" was necessary to ensure that it is not neglected.

In Chhattisgarh, the Dalit population plays an important role in determining election results in regions such as Janjgir-Champa, Raigarh and Bastar. PTI&nbsp;

Dealing a blow to the Congress's plans to sew up an alliance, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Thursday announced 22 candidates for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections and said it will contest all 230 seats.

Dealing a blow to the Congress's plans to sew up an alliance, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Thursday announced 22 candidates for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections and said it will contest all 230 seats. The list includes three sitting MLAs. State Congress president Kamal Nath had said earlier that his party wants to join hands with like-minded parties such as the BSP for taking on the ruling BJP. Nath had also met BSP supremo Mayawati on July 15. However, the BSP said Thursday that it will contest all 230 Assembly seats on its own in the state where elections are due by year-end. A Congress leader said on the condition of anonymity that his party still has hopes that an alliance with the BSP will materialise. "They have announced only 22 candidates, including three sitting MLAs, for the seats where their position is strong. It is just a move to scare us and get a better seat sharing deal," he said. "We had offered them 15-16 seats but they wanted more," he said. However, BSP's Madhya Pradesh in-charge Ram Achal Rajbhar said his party will contest all 230 seats. The list of candidates released by Rajbhar includes three out of the party's four sitting MLAs: Sheela Tyagi (Mangawa seat), Usha Choudhary (Raigaon) and Satyaprakash Sakwar (Ambah). The name of a fourth BSP MLA, Balveer Singh Dandotia who represents Dimni in Morena district, does not figure in the list. BSP sources said he wants to contest from the Morena Assembly seat this time. The list also names candidates for Assembly seats in Datia, Bhind, Shivpuri, Ashoknagar, Chhattarpur, Damoh, Singrauli, Sidhi, Shahdol, Umaria, Katni and Jabalpur districts. Alliance with Ajit Jogi In another setback to the Congress, BSP supremo Mayawati today announced an alliance with Ajit Jogi's Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) for Chhattisgarh elections and declared him the chief ministerial candidate. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will contest 35 seats and the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh 55 in the 90-member Assembly. "We have decided to forge an alliance with the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh. Ajit Jogi will be the chief ministerial candidate," Mayawati said at a press conference here. "My views on alliance with other parties are clear. We will go for an alliance if our party gets a respectable number of seats and if the ideologies match," she said. Mayawati said the BSP and the JCC will soon launch a joint election campaign and a plan for conducting rallies will be finalised soon. Replying to a question, she said, "Both the parties are capable of stopping the BJP in the state. If some other regional parties want to join us, we will take their help." She alleged that the BJP government in Chhattisgarh did nothing for the state in the past 15 years and that a "strong regional representation" was necessary to ensure that it is not neglected. In Chhattisgarh, the Dalit population plays an important role in determining election results in regions such as Janjgir-Champa, Raigarh and Bastar. PTI

Mayawati says BSP will fight MP elections alone, in Chhattisgarh she ties up with Ajit Jogi

The Election Commission&nbspordered a probe into allegations of large-scale discrepancies in the voters' list of Madhya Pradesh.

Soon after a Congress delegation approached it on the issue, the poll panel formed two teams to probe the allegations.&nbsp

The teams have to submit a report by June 7.

The Congress claimed there are at least 60 lakh bogus voters in the state, which will go to polls in November.

The party also submitted evidence to the EC to buttress its allegation.&nbsp

We have provided evidence to the Election Commission. There are approximately 60 lakh fake voters registered in the state. These are not merely mistakes. The lists have been deliberately altered at the behest of BJP government in the state,&nbspCongress's Kamal Nath said.

The EC teams will visit the Narela, Bhojpur, Seoni-Malwa and Hoshangabad assembly seats to ascertain how the discrepancies occurred.

After reaching the state tomorrow, the teams would also fix responsibility for multiple and fake entries, EC said.

The poll panel formed two teams to probe the allegations

The Election Commission&nbspordered a probe into allegations of large-scale discrepancies in the voters' list of Madhya Pradesh. Soon after a Congress delegation approached it on the issue, the poll panel formed two teams to probe the allegations. The teams have to submit a report by June 7. The Congress claimed there are at least 60 lakh bogus voters in the state, which will go to polls in November. The party also submitted evidence to the EC to buttress its allegation. We have provided evidence to the Election Commission. There are approximately 60 lakh fake voters registered in the state. These are not merely mistakes. The lists have been deliberately altered at the behest of BJP government in the state,&nbspCongress's Kamal Nath said. The EC teams will visit the Narela, Bhojpur, Seoni-Malwa and Hoshangabad assembly seats to ascertain how the discrepancies occurred. After reaching the state tomorrow, the teams would also fix responsibility for multiple and fake entries, EC said.

Election Commission orders probe into 'anomalies' in Madhya Pradesh voters' list

The Congress party on Sunday submitted evidence to the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the alleged irregularities in the voter roll in Madhya Pradesh.

Congress chief for Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath said they have provided evidence for approximately 60 lakh fake voters registered in the voting list.

"We have provided evidence to the Election Commission that there are approximately 60 Lakh fake voters registered in the voting list. These names have been deliberately registered in the list. This is not administrative negligence, but administrative misuse," Kamal Nath.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) behind it and said, "This has been done by the BJP. How is it possible that population increased by 24 per cent in 10 years but the number of voters increased by 40 per cent? We scrutinized list in all constituencies, one voter is registered in 26 lists, there are similar cases in other places too."

Earlier in February also, the Congress party had complained to the Election Commission about discrepancies in the Madhya Pradesh voter's list and asking it take steps for ensuring free and fair elections.

In April, State`s chief electoral officer Salina Singh said that six lakh names were removed from Madhya Pradesh voter list.

Talking to ANI, Singh said that the commission is getting the update from the district collectors and the list is being updated. Madhya Pradesh will go to polls this year.

Earlier in February also, the Congress party had complained to the Election Commission about discrepancies in the Madhya Pradesh voter's list and asking it take steps for ensuring free and fair elections

The Congress party on Sunday submitted evidence to the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the alleged irregularities in the voter roll in Madhya Pradesh. Congress chief for Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath said they have provided evidence for approximately 60 lakh fake voters registered in the voting list. "We have provided evidence to the Election Commission that there are approximately 60 Lakh fake voters registered in the voting list. These names have been deliberately registered in the list. This is not administrative negligence, but administrative misuse," Kamal Nath. Meanwhile, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) behind it and said, "This has been done by the BJP. How is it possible that population increased by 24 per cent in 10 years but the number of voters increased by 40 per cent? We scrutinized list in all constituencies, one voter is registered in 26 lists, there are similar cases in other places too." Earlier in February also, the Congress party had complained to the Election Commission about discrepancies in the Madhya Pradesh voter's list and asking it take steps for ensuring free and fair elections. In April, State`s chief electoral officer Salina Singh said that six lakh names were removed from Madhya Pradesh voter list. Talking to ANI, Singh said that the commission is getting the update from the district collectors and the list is being updated. Madhya Pradesh will go to polls this year.

MP election: Congress submits 'evidence' of 60 lakh fake voters to EC

The Congress leaders would be seeking divine blessings at various temples in MP in a bid to wrest power from the BJP in the state where the Assembly polls are due later this year.

The Congress state election campaign committee chairman, Jyotiraditya Scindia, will kick off the party's campaign for the polls from Ujjain district after offering prayers at the famous Mahakal temple on May 11, state party spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi said.

"Scindia is a deeply religious person, he is going to visit many temples to seek blessings of the Almighty to overthrow the BJP government, which has been in power for over 14 years in MP," he said.

The newly appointed MP Congress president, Kamal Nath, who formally took charge of the party in the state on May 1, visited the Gufa Mandir in Bhopal on May 2.

The same day, he also went to the Mahakal temple in Ujjain and offered prayers at the Pitambara Peeth in Datia district.

A Congress leader said their party chief Rahul Gandhi was likely to start his election campaign in MP after visiting either the Mahakal temple or the Pitambara Peeth.

Gandhi would visit some prominent Hindu temples in MP, replicating his Gujarat electioneering model, the leader said on condition of anonymity. 
 
Notably, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh last month completed his 3,300-km 'Narmada Parikarma' (circumambulation) along the river banks on foot.

A BJP leader dubbed such tactics of the Congress leaders as "hypocrisy" to woo the voters, saying that the strategy won't work in the polls.

"The Congress leaders' visits to temples, especially Digvijayji's Narmada yatra, is just a hypocrisy. Everyone knows that Digvijayji believes in minority appeasement," state BJP general secretary V D Sharma said.

"The people know that the Congress leaders in MP have turned religious only to get votes. Their temple-going tactics to woo voters won't work in the forthcoming elections. They are anti-Hindu and believe in minority appeasement for votes," Sharma said.&nbsp

The Congress state election campaign committee chairman, Jyotiraditya Scindia, will kick off the party's campaign for the polls from Ujjain district after offering prayers at the famous Mahakal temple on May 11, state party spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi said

The Congress leaders would be seeking divine blessings at various temples in MP in a bid to wrest power from the BJP in the state where the Assembly polls are due later this year. The Congress state election campaign committee chairman, Jyotiraditya Scindia, will kick off the party's campaign for the polls from Ujjain district after offering prayers at the famous Mahakal temple on May 11, state party spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi said. "Scindia is a deeply religious person, he is going to visit many temples to seek blessings of the Almighty to overthrow the BJP government, which has been in power for over 14 years in MP," he said. The newly appointed MP Congress president, Kamal Nath, who formally took charge of the party in the state on May 1, visited the Gufa Mandir in Bhopal on May 2. The same day, he also went to the Mahakal temple in Ujjain and offered prayers at the Pitambara Peeth in Datia district. A Congress leader said their party chief Rahul Gandhi was likely to start his election campaign in MP after visiting either the Mahakal temple or the Pitambara Peeth. Gandhi would visit some prominent Hindu temples in MP, replicating his Gujarat electioneering model, the leader said on condition of anonymity. Notably, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh last month completed his 3,300-km 'Narmada Parikarma' (circumambulation) along the river banks on foot. A BJP leader dubbed such tactics of the Congress leaders as "hypocrisy" to woo the voters, saying that the strategy won't work in the polls. "The Congress leaders' visits to temples, especially Digvijayji's Narmada yatra, is just a hypocrisy. Everyone knows that Digvijayji believes in minority appeasement," state BJP general secretary V D Sharma said. "The people know that the Congress leaders in MP have turned religious only to get votes. Their temple-going tactics to woo voters won't work in the forthcoming elections. They are anti-Hindu and believe in minority appeasement for votes," Sharma said.

Congress leaders to go temple-hopping in MP; BJP says it won't work

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