Regional satraps reign in the Deccan

As the Karnataka Express comes to a halt at the Bhopal station, the hinterland's choice of the BJP becomes clear

After the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Madhya Pradesh returned to power in the state, many want to see Chouhan as India's next prime minister. For now, they are pinning their hopes on Modi and the BJP to do away with the widespread corruption and high inflation. "For 10 years, the Congress government looted our money," says Gyanesh, a vendor at the Bhopal railway station. "Shivrajji is a common man, without the qualms of a leader and he should be the prime minister one day."

Others say to weed out corruption and bring about social and economic development, Modi is the right man today. They, however, agree Chouhan is a good prospect for the post of prime minister.

Maharashtra
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)'s plan to do away with toll gates in the state might have led to widespread condemnation in the press but the party is seeing a huge undercurrent in its favour. As the train stops at Bhusawal, Vishwas Patil, who has come to see his cousin off, says this sentiment is shared across smaller areas in the state. "Raj Thackeray is not only concerned with the welfare of Mumbai but also with the welfare of the rest of Maharashtra. Farmers in the state have been dying; Congress has done nothing. We pay a premium for water now," he says.

The Shiv Sena, the MNS and the BJP are likely to garner the lion's share of votes in the state, though there is doubt over their partnership. While the Shiv Sena is a part of the National Democratic Alliance and the MNS is expected to lend support to Modi, questions are being raised about how the parties will work out a plan for the state polls.

The Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) alliance here could be headed for a defeat in the Assembly elections, owing to widespread resentment against poor governance and corruption. A number of voters, however, see NCP chief Sharad Pawar as a prime ministerial prospect.

Andhra Pradesh
Vali Rajender, returning from a visit to the Taj Mahal, isn't swayed by the Modi wave across north India or the prospects of Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi as the next prime minister. He, like many others in Andhra Pradesh, is likely to vote for Jaganmohan Reddy's YSR Congress or the Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party.

"The United Progressive Alliance divided our state. It wanted to take away Hyderabad from Andhra Pradesh and give it to Telangana. Hyderabad is Andhra; we cannot lose it. The Congress is solely responsible for this. YSR would not have allowed this," Vali says. Here, late chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy is widely admired, and his son Jaganmohan Reddy has benefited from the legacy.

Karnataka
On entering Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge's Gulbarga constituency in Karnataka, voter sentiment is divided. Here, it seems the Congress and the BJP are, more or less, equal.

Vishwanath Madiwal, a school teacher from Raichur, says, "The BJP and the Congress are strong. You never know about the Congress. Before the elections, they will plant some new schemes, money will flow and sentiment will turn in its favour." He, however, adds, "People are upset with the current government and all they want is change, a change to see how well the BJP can run the country."

Unlike Bangalore, where support for Modi seems widespread, caste-based politics still reigns in the interiors of Karnataka.

Despite its success in the national capital, the Aam Aadmi Party is being seen as a new kid on the block.