Madhya Pradesh election results 2023: The state of Madhya Pradesh is all set to find out who will take over the reins on December 3. The polling to elect all 230 members of the MP Legislative Assembly took place on November 17 in a single-phase contest.
The ruling BJP and the opposition Congress have been the main contenders, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) also seeking to make their presence felt.
Also Read: Madhya Pradesh exit polls 2023: Poll surveys predict neck-and-neck battle between BJP, Congress
After the last elections in 2018, the state witnessed a change in government in March 2020 when the Congress-led government collapsed and the BJP returned to power. The BJP is now facing the challenge of overcoming anti-incumbency after almost four terms, except for a 15-month period when the Congress was in power. On the other hand, the Congress aims to capitalize on public resentment against the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government on various issues.
Here are the six major factors that could decide the outcome of the MP Elections 2023:
Emphasis on Hindutva
During the Jan Ashirwad (public blessing) rallies, the BJP strategically played the Hindutva card, directing its attacks at the Congress over the Sanatan Dharma dispute. On September 14, Prime Minister Modi accused the INDIA bloc of attempting to undermine Sanatana Dharma. The BJP is also prominently showcasing the development of religious tourist circuits, including the Mahakal Lok corridor in Ujjain and the Adi Shankaracharya statue in Omkareshwar, under its watch.
However, the Congress has also delved into “soft” Hindutva, with Kamal Nath positioning himself as a devotee of Lord Hanuman. He was also among the first Congress leaders to distance themselves from the Sanatana remarks by Udhayanidhi Stalin of the DMK. His campaigns so far have all centered around Hindutva and he hasn’t shied away from wearing this religious card on his sleeve.
Also Read: Elections 2023: Exit polls keep hope alive for BJP, Congress strongly in reckoning
The OBC factor
The Opposition’s commitment to conducting a caste census ensures that the Other Backward Classes (OBC) factor will be a dominant theme in the elections. OBCs constitute approximately 50 per cent of the state’s population, traditionally a key support base for the BJP. Kamal Nath’s government, in 2019, increased OBC reservation in government jobs to 27 per cent, though this was later turned down by the High Court.
Adding to the BJP’s concerns, former MP Chief Minister Uma Bharti, who has expressed dissatisfaction within the BJP, is advocating for OBC reservation within women’s quotas. However, the BJP is displaying the impact of the central government’s policies such as free ration, free cooking gas, housing schemes etc. to counter the Opposition’s caste onslaught.
Also Read: MP Election 2023: BJP and Congress Full List of Candidates
Women-centric policies
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken significant initiatives towards women voters with schemes and policies, including a 35 per cent quota in certain government jobs and Ladli Behna Yojana. Madhya Pradesh also boasts of near parity of gender in voter numbers, with 2.67 crore women out of a total of 5.52 crore voters. It is to be seen if the recently enacted law on women’s reservation by the Centre will have any impact.
Kamal Nath’s party, on the other hand, is championing women-centric policies and criticising the BJP’s record on women’s safety issues, claiming the state ranks highest in women-related crimes.
Corruption
The Congress has focused its campaign on alleged corruption during the BJP’s rule as its main issue. The party claims that in Karnataka, corruption was rampant when the BJP was in office, and in Madhya Pradesh, it was even worse. The Congress has accused the Shivraj Chouhan government of major financial scandals, including the Vyapam recruitment and admission scam.
Anti-incumbency
The BJP has been in power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003, except for a brief period when the Congress ruled. This has led to anti-incumbency sentiment. To counter this, the BJP has fielded Union ministers and Members of Parliament from the state, aiming to dilute the anti-incumbency factor and provide options for the chief ministerial position.
Also Read: MP election results 2023: The HOT seats – 5 candidates to watch out for
Battling unemployment
Rising unemployment figures have emerged as a significant concern in the poll-bound state, with the Congress highlighting a dearth of government jobs and suicides among students and unemployed individuals. Priyanka Gandhi, in her Jabalpur speech on June 12, said that the BJP government has only provided 21 government jobs in Madhya Pradesh in the last three years. As per the data on joblessness given by the state assembly in March, 39,93,149 people registered themselves at employment offices in MP.
However, the BJP is counting on programmes like “Seekho Kamao” and job schemes for youths to address the unemployment issue. They countered Congress’s statement by claiming that they had “provided over 61,000 government jobs in the last three years.” Furthermore, Chouhan has pledged to provide a job to each household should his party retain power.
These are the key factors or issues that have likely influenced the outcome of the elections in Madhya Pradesh. Both the BJP and the Congress have strived to address these concerns and win the trust of the voters.