The results of the Assembly elections in three states – Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh – are gradually coming out. While there's a neck-and-neck fight between the BJP and the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, the latter has surged ahead in the state of Chhattisgarh. In Rajasthan, while the Congress is leading, it is still falling short of the majority mark.
Now, a question lingering on the minds of many is, who will become the chief minister in these states if the Congress comes to power?
While the BJP campaign has been spearheaded by incumbent CMs Vasundhara Raje, Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh) and Raman Singh (Chhattisgarh), the Congress seems to be reeling from a problem of plenty, in that each state has multiple faces who could stake their claim to its highest post.
Let's have a look at who these key chief ministerial hopefuls are from the Congress and how much influence they command.
Rajasthan
While the Congress is leading in Rajasthan, it is still falling short of the majority mark, with the BJP not far behind. A Congress win would mean the 25-year-old trend of alternating between BJP and the Congress governments every consecutive term remains.
ASHOK GEHLOT
While many might have thought two-time chief minister Ashok Gehlot (1998-2003 and 2008-2013) would have been the obvious choice for the Congress this time too, the arrival of Sachin Pilot into the picture has complicated matters.
The current general secretary of the All India Congress Committee, 67-year-old Gehlot contested from the Sardarpura Assembly constituency, from where he is the current MLA. Enjoying a loyal voter base in the state, Gehlot is known for his ability to swing votes from the Mali community, who play a crucial role in the elections.
SACHIN PILOT
Having served as a Union minister in the UPA government, Sachin Pilot’s decision to contest the Assembly elections might be indicative of his intent to become chief minister.
The president of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee and son of prominent state Congress leader Rajesh Pilot, he squared off against the BJP’s only Muslim candidate Yunus Khan in Tonk these elections. Pilot is considered not only more popular at the grassroots level, but is also credited for steering the Congress to three major bypoll victories in February this year.
Madhya Pradesh
The run-up to the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh saw speculation regarding factionalism in the Congress. The party is facing off against CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan who has been at the helm of affairs since 2005. The latest trends from the counting of votes show a neck-and-neck fight between the Congress and BJP.
The two Congress frontrunners for the post of chief minister in the state are Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kamal Nath, but they did not contest these polls.
KAMAL NATH
Kamal Nath is the Congress MP state unit president and a nine-time MP from Chhindwara. An experienced political strategist, Nath was made the MP state unit president in May 2018 to lead the party.
JYOTIRADITYA SCINDIA
Jyotiraditya Scindia is a lawmaker from Guna and the current campaign committee chief for the Congress party in Madhya Pradesh. Scindia's ability to connect with the youth – which makes up 44 percent of the voters – may have served as a crucial factor in swinging votes to the Congress.
Scindia belongs to the royal family and carries with him the legacy of his father, Madhavrao Scindia.
Chhattisgarh
The situation in Chhattisgarh mirrors, in a way, that of Madhya Pradesh, in that Congress is challenging three-time chief minister Raman Singh of the BJP. However, unlike Madhya Pradesh, the Congress has managed to secure a comfortable majority in the state, as per the latest counting trends.
The third front – an alliance between former Congress CM Ajit Jogi (now chief of the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh) and Mayawati's BSP – has failed to make much impact, according to the trends.
There are three leaders in the grand old party who are seen as chief ministerial hopefuls. They are: TS Singh Deo, Bhupesh Baghel and Tamradhwaj Sahu.
TS SINGH DEO
A two-time MLA from Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district, TS Singh Deo has been the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly.
He is said to be one of the richest candidates in the state, and has strong connections with the royalty.
BHUPESH BAGHEL
Bhupesh Baghel is the president of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee and contested from the Patan constituency in Durg district, from where he has been a two-time MLA (2003-2008 and 2013-2018).
Said to be an influential leader among the backward castes, Baghel has served as minister in Chhattisgarh as well as in Madhya Pradesh before it was divided.
TAMRADHWAJ SAHU
The current MP from Durg constituency, Congress leader Tamradhwaj Sahu was fielded from Durg Rural seat for these Assembly elections.
He is said to be an influential leader among the OBCs, especially the Sahu community, which is considered to be quite significant in the state. He is also considered close to Rahul Gandhi.
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