The Congress party kicked off its campaign for the Madhya Pradesh elections, slated for later this year, in Jabalpur on Monday. The launch of the party’s bid for the coming elections was launched in the presence of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and former Chief Minister and MP Congress Committee president Kamal Nath. The event saw the duo conduct a Narmada Pooja at Jabalpur’s Gwarighat along with other Congress leaders of the state.
Addressing a rally a short while later, Priyanka came down heavily on the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in the state, citing numerous scams under its rule. “BJP has done 225 scams in 220 months of rule. Vyapam scam, teacher recruitment scam, police recruitment scam, mining scam, corona scam, electricity department scam, e-tender scam, TV set distribution scam. He didn’t even spare Narmada Maiya and Mahakal Corridor,” Priyanka said addressing the rally.
Also Read: MP polls: Cong’s Kamal Nath promises free electricity, aid for women and OPS for govt staffers
The Congress, which emerged victorious in the elections held in 2018, was edged out of power over a year later as Jyotiraditya Scindia and MLAs loyal to him crossed over to the BJP.
Five years down the line, the Congress is buoyed by the outcome of the elections in Karnataka where it displaced the BJP from power in the state. While the southers state has traditionally oscillated between alternate governments for over three decades, the sustained campaign run by the Congress in the run-up to the polls, specifically the five promises, are credited as having acted as the game-changers for the party in the state.
Congress eyes MP win on Karnataka script
In the run-up to the polls, the Congress has promised Rs 1,500 per month to women, LPG cylinder for Rs.500, free power up to 100 units of consumption and 50 per cent bills for 200 units, implementation of the Old Pension Scheme and loan waiver of farmers.
Much of the Congress’ campaign in the state will depend on the implementation of the marketing of the template it introduced in Karnataka. The five pre-poll promises made by the Congress included 200 units of free power to all households under Gruha Jyoti, Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to woman head of every family under Gruha Lakshmi, 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household under Anna Bhagya, Rs 3,000 every month for unemplyed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for unemplyed diploma holders (18-25 age group) for two years under Yuva Nidhi and free travel to women in public transport buses under Uchita Prayana.
The Congress believes that the promises worked in Karnataka and the replication of these promises in Madhya Pradesh could do wonders here as well. The promise of providing higher reservations, as it did in Karnataka, could also feature in the party’s list of promises closer to polls.
Hindutva: The X-factor for Congress
However, while these promises are expected to have their own impact, the Congress appears keen not to leave anything to chance. With the BJP’s popularity largely resting on its Hindutva appeal, the Congress is seen latching on to the formula to counter the BJP’s biggest vote base.
Optics matter most in politics and Kamal Nath caught on to the game early on. Months before the poll campaign began, the former CM began visiting temples and offering prayers at ghats to brandish his ‘Hindu’ credentials to the electorate. In January this year, Kamal Nath visited the Narmada Ghat and offered prayers wearing a Rudraksh rosary. He later reached the Nadia Ghat located in Bargi assembly of Jabalpur and performed puja and havan of the 21-feet-high Nandishwar Shivling.
“We do not do publicity of religion, it is our inner feeling,” Nath, who has been actively pushing his image of a devout ‘Hanuman Bhakt’ told reporters then. He also took credit for building the biggest Hanuman temple in the country.
The Congress’ newfound love for Hindutva outfit Bajrang Sena was also indicative of a similar push towards regaining the trust of Hindu voters. Just last week, the Bajrang Sena, which advocates Hindutva and campaigns proactively against cow slaughter, merged with the Congress. The outfit, though relatively unknown in the state, fits well with the image that Kamal Nath is trying to stitch for himself.
The tie-up assumes significance in view of the Congress’ own Karnataka poll promise of cracking down on religious extremist outfits “like Bajrang Dal”. While the Hindu vote bank is clearly on target for the Congress, it is the 5 per cent Brahmin voters that it is looking to consolidate in the state in its favour. Madhya Pradesh has approximately 14 per cent upper caste voters who traditionally vote for the BJP and the Congress wants to break this 5 per cent vote share from the 14 per cent mix.
Madhya Pradesh has 37 per cent OBCs, 37 per cent SCs/STs and 8 per cent Muslims. Polls in the state are expected to be held in November-December this year.