Madhya Pradesh is going to polls on Wednesday, 28 November, where Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress will be locking horns to capture power.
Madhya Pradesh is one of the largest of the five states that are going for Assembly elections with 230 seats in the assembly. The state also has 29 seats in the Lok Sabha, which makes this election even more crucial – a semi-finals of sorts ahead of the 2019 General Elections.
The BJP, that has been in power in the state for three consecutive terms led by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the fight is tough for the party as the state is facing an agrarian crisis. While, the Congress, on the other hand, is struggling to penetrate into the BJP bastion.
Is there a mood for change in the state? Will the state choose to stick with Shivraj Chouhan or vote for change?
'BJP is Trying to Make It a Presidential Election'
Political analyst Amitabh Tiwari said that for a party that has been ruling the state for 15 years, it is natural for anti-incumbency to creep in. He asserted that while the BJP was trying to make it a presidential-style election, the opposition Congress was focussing on a centralised campaign.
“The BJP is trying to make it a Presidential kind of election. Congress is trying to make it a localised campaign, focusing on issues on a seat level.”
He added that until there us a wave of incumbency to throw the government, it was “difficult for the challenger to win.
'People Decided Enough Is Enough'
While the BJP is eyeing a fourth consecutive term, Congress beleives that people of the state are fighting against the BJP in this election.
“This is the first time I have seen in an election that people fight a political party, which is the BJP.”Vinay Dalmia, Congress spokesperson
He said that the people of the state have had “enough.”
"Shattered dreams, and failed promises and empty ghoshnas are enough. Corruption is enough. Farmers' distress is enough," the Congress spokesperson added.
‘We Are Winning Hands Down’
Syed Zafar Islam, BJP spokesperson, seemed cofident and said that there was no anti-incubency in the state and said, "Let me make it very clear. We are winning hands down."
He pointed out that there have been anti-incumbency for a few sitting MLAs from the BJP, but that has been taken care of by the party. He claimed Congress is banking on “false promises, but nothing was fulfilled before 2003.”
While the two parties in fray have had a high-voltage campaigning in the state, there are some issues that could not be overlooked.
This election is going be a little different from the all the previous elections, points Yatindra Sing, Director of Madhya Pradesh Institute of Social Sciences Research. This election compared to previous elections is "kind of based on anti-incumbency".
Despite the fact the Shivraj Singh is a very popular chief minister... but simultaneously, there are several things happening in the stateYatindra Sing, Director MPISSR
He pointed out the issue of agrarian crisis, farmers unrest, unemployment, women safety, and "importantly" anti-incubency for sitting MLAs and ministers.
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