The state of Madhya Pradesh is all set to witness a largely bipolar battle between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. The voting in MP took place on Friday, November 17.
The 230-seat Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections that were held in a single phase, now await the moment of truth. The results will be announced by the Election Commission of India on December 3 after the counting of votes is over. As the nation awaits the results, all eyes are on the contest between the incumbent BJP party and the Congress.
The exit poll findings for the MP Assembly elections have hinted at a tight contest in the state, with three surveys predicting a saffron sweep in the state while three others predict a slight lead for the Congress. Two others have placed Congress in the lead while one other has given BJP the upper hand.
Also Read: Madhya Pradesh exit polls 2023: Poll surveys predict neck-and-neck battle between BJP, Congress
Keen to retain the office in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has put forth some really strong candidates for the Assembly Elections. Congress which aims to make a comeback in Madhya Pradesh is largely banking upon the former Chief Minister and also the party’s current CM face Kamal Nath for its victory in the state.
For both parties, all 230 seats are hot and tough, but a few constituencies and candidates stand out. Who are they – and why the contest will be closely watched? We at Financial Express break this down.
Also Read: Elections 2023: Exit polls keep hope alive for BJP, Congress strongly in reckoning
Shivraj Singh Chouhan from Budhni
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will take on Congress candidate Vikram Mastal at his home turf. Chouhan has been invincible in his pocket borough Budhni assembly constituency, winning all five elections when he has contested from here since 1990.
The election this time appears a bit different for Budhni, who has been voting for the BJP’s CM face for a long time, however, this term around the BJP is reluctant to project him as the CM face. The move has sent out signals that the BJP has kept options open for the state’s top post and Chouhan, the longest-serving CM of Madhya Pradesh, might not be the default choice.
In 2018, Shivraj Singh Chouhan defeated Arun Subhashchandra by a margin of 29 per cent votes.
Kamal Nath in Chhindwara
Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath, whose tenure as chief minister ended abruptly in March 2020, is making a renewed attempt to bring his party to power in the state but is facing a tough challenge from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for his own election in the home turf of Chhindwara. The 76-year-old Congress veteran, the sitting MLA from Chhindwara who projects himself as an ardent ‘Hanuman bhakt’, is pitted against BJP candidate Vivek Bunty Sahu, a ‘Shiv bhakt’.
The BJP aims to dethrone the Congress President, highlighting his absence from Chhindwara during his tenure. Bunty Sahu has also emphasised on the BJP’s pro-women Ladli Behna Yojana. As the scheme gained momentum, the Congress has promised a Nari Samman Yojana, promising to pay Rs 1,500 to every woman in the state, if the party forms the government post-results on December 3.
Also Read: MP elections 2023 | As poll countdown begins, know all about Congress heavyweight Kamal Nath
Narendra Singh Tomar from Dimani
The BJP has fielded its heavyweight Union Minister Narender Singh Tomar this time against Congress’ sitting MLA, Ravinder Singh Tomar. In this battle of power, BJP is striving to gain the seat while Congress will try to maintain its hold. Narender Singh Tomar, a significant figure in the region, has been put forward by the BJP to bolster the party’s presence, setting the stage for a clash between two Thakurs in a community-dominated segment.
In 2018, Congress’ Girraj Dandotiya won the elections securing 69,597 votes (49.23%) for the party, defeating the BJP candidate Shiv Mangal Singh Tomar who bagged nearly 51,120 votes (36.16%) for the BJP. However, Dandotiya later defected to the BJP. After the byelection, the seat was won by Congress candidate Ravinder Singh Tomar.
Narottam Mishra from Datia
Datia assembly constituency will witness a neck-and-neck battle between BJP and Congress yet again. BJP has fielded Narrotam Mishra, who has been the face of the Datia constituency for the BJP and is MP Home Minister. Mishra has been winning since 2008 while the Congress has fielded veteran Rajendra Bharti as he nearly defeated Mishra in 2018 but fell short by 2,656 votes.
The seat is one of the most fiercely contested seats which has traditionally witnessed high-pitched battles. In 2018, the constituency saw both leaders locking horns, with Narrotam Mishra sweeping the seat with 49 per cent of the votes. While Mishra got 72,209 votes, Bharti Rajendra clinched 47.2 per cent or 69,553 votes. This was the third time that Mishra defeated him.
Also Read: MP Election 2023: BJP and Congress Full List of Candidates
Kailash Vijaywargiya from Indore-I
BJP has nominated its national general secretary, Kailash Vijayvargiya, to challenge the Congress incumbent, Sanjay Shukla, in a bid to unseat him from the Indore-I seat. Caste equations are likely to significantly influence the candidates’ fate in this constituency, predominantly urban and dominated by the Brahmin and Yadav communities, constituting 3.64 lakh voters.
While Vijayvargiya is a stronghold in the Indore region from the Vaishya community, Sanjay Shukla, a Brahmin, is contending from Congress. Both contenders are expected to put up a fierce competition on the seat.