BHOPAL: For sitting MLAs seeking another term in the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha through victory in the November 28 election, the journey to re-election is turning out to be bumpy.The sitting MLAs from both, ruling BJP and opposition Congress are being confronted by voters questioning their legislators about unfulfilled promises and lack of development.
And the anger of voters over unfulfilled promises isn't confined to smaller and obscure constituencies, but is being reported even from VIP constituencies, including Budhni, the assembly seat of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan since 2006.
A video showing CM's wife Sadhna Singh on door-to-door campaigning in Rehti town of Budhni assembly constituency has gone viral over social media. In the video, Singh and other women campaigning for the CM are seen to be confronted by a woman, who questions why despite the CM representing the seat since 13 years, the drinking water woes of local residents remain unaddressed.
Despite the CM's wife and other women campaigning with her, trying to play down the matter, the aggrieved women keep on raising the voice over failure to address the drinking water woes. Importantly, Budhni which also houses the CM's native village Jait, is likely to witness an intriguing poll battle between the CM and former union minister Arun Yadav, who is the Congress candidate.
Around 170 km away, in Hatpipliya assembly seat of Dewas district, two-time sitting BJP MLA and present MP minister of state for education Deepak Joshi too is facing opposition from voters in his constituency over lack of development. In a video presently viral over social media, an embarrassed Joshi is seen surrounded by voters, including elderly men, who are seeking answers for him for lack of development. "We're not begging alms from you, but seeking basic development, as it's we who elected you," the voters are seen telling Joshi in the video.
Other sitting BJP MLAs, among them cabinet minister Umashankar Gupta too has had to face opposition from voters in his Bhopal Dakshin-Paschim constituency over unfulfilled promises and lack of development, while three-time BJP MLA from Indore-5 seat, the former minister Mahendra Hardia too had to leave a public program midway after being confronted by questions of voters about unfulfilled promises in his constituency.
The first-time BJP MLA from Sirmour constituency of Rewa district Divyaraj Singh, who is reportedly facing massive anti-incumbency wasn't able to meet voters in Atraila village of his constituency recently, after he remained answerless to their questions about injustice to upper caste by the amended SC/ST Atrocities Act.
In the adjoining Satna district, Vikram Singh, the BJP candidate from Rampur Baghelan constituency and the son of indisposed sitting MLA and MP minister Harsh Singh, too had to face opposition from voters in a village recently, where villagers shouted slogans "No Road No Vote," forcing Singh to leave the place. And it's not only the sitting legislators of ruling BJP, but also opposition Congress MLAs who are facing embarrassment before voters seeking reply for unfulfilled promises from them.
In Kasrwad assembly constituency (considered the pocket borough of ex-deputy CM Late Subhash Yadav) of Khargone district, Yadav's younger son and sitting MLA Sachin Yadav got a reality check from voters recently at a small public meeting in one of the villages of his constituency.
In a video of the meeting which has gone viral, a villager is seen questioning the claims of Yadav's supporter that efforts by Yadav and his illustrious father have worked wonders for farmers in the constituency. The villager questions Yadav's claims by saying that 40 villages are yet to get water in the canal, which irks the Congress legislator, who responds, saying jyada hoshiyar mat bano (don't try to act too smart).
A similar opposition of voters has also been reported from Rau assembly seat of Indore district, which is presently represented by Congress MLA Jeetu Patwari.