NEW DELHI: A visit to the areas on the Madhya Pradesh-Rajasthan border reveals that while a change of governments is in favour among the people, the Vasundhara Raje government in the latter state is facing strong anti-incumbency while they are quite happy with the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in MP
Farmers’ distress, particularly in Rajasthan, was a prevalent electoral decider.
“There is nobody to listen our grievances. We are not getting electricity during daytime. Would it be right if we say that elections should be held during night hours as we are getting electricity only during night hours,” said Rajender Singh, a farmer in Sultanpur.
Rama Shankar, another farmer from Harouti village complained of having incurred losses. “I have invested about Rs 6 lakh in growing garlic and moong. And, what I have got is not even Rs 1.5 lakh. Where will we go? The government is talking about MSP, but, this is just on the paper...” he added.
Rajasthan has a unique trait of voting out the incumbent government. Things in MP, however, were quite
different. Although parts of the state have evinced an interest in a change of government, there seems to be no resentment against Chouhan, at least in the border areas. “Our CM (Shivraj Singh Chauhan) has done a lot in last so many years. Whether it is road, power or water, people here are happy with him,” said Jugal Kishore, a driver in Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh.