BHOPAL: After a war of words over the exit polls, the ruling BJP and opposition Congress are engaged in making tall claims about their poll prospects on the eve of the counting of votes for the November 17 Madhya Pradesh assembly polls.
In Indore, BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya claimed that after touring 103 out of the 230 seats, he sees BJP winning 150 seats and forming the government with an impressive majority. On the other hand, former CM and Congress MP Digvijaya Singh exuded confidence about the Congress winning at least 130 seats to form the government.
Vijayvargiya said that on coming to power, the decision on the CM’s post will be made by the party’s top leadership in Delhi. “The legislature party will elect the leader in Bhopal, while the final seal of approval will be put by the party’s parliamentary board in Delhi,” he said.
Vijayvargiya is among the eight BJP heavyweights, who were fielded as candidates in the November 17 assembly polls with the objective of not only winning the seats from where they were fielded but also rubbing off their influence on other seats of their respective regions.
But barring union minister Prahlad Singh Patel (Narsinghpur), Narendra Singh Tomar (Dimani) and Kailash Vijayvargiya (Indore-1), the other five heavyweights – Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste (Niwas-ST) and MPs Riti Pathak (Sidhi), Ganesh Singh (Satna), Rakesh Singh (Jabalpur West) and Rao Udai Pratap Singh (Gadarwara) – were largely stuck in their own seats owing to tough battle there.
On the other hand, at least 14 ministers of the present government, including five Jyotiraditya Scindia loyalists and five senior Congress leaders, among them Kamal Nath’s loyalists Sajjan Singh Verma and Bala Bachchan, Jitu Patwari, ex-Vidhan Sabha speaker NP Prajapati and leader of opposition Dr Govind Singh too are believed to be on a sticky wicket.
Earlier on November 17, an all-time high 77.15% voter turnout (78.21 males and 76.03% females) was reported, which was 1.52% higher than 2018 polls. Enthusiastic response was seen particularly among the women voters, as they outvoted the males on 34 out of the 230 seats (the number was 51 seats in 2018 polls), which rekindled BJP’s hopes of retaining power, largely on the back of the Rs 1,250 monthly Ladli Behna Yojana.
Uncertainty prevails
At least 14 ministers of the present government, including five Jyotiraditya Scindia-loyalists and five senior Congress leaders, among them Kamal Nath’s loyalists may be on a sticky wicket