Madhya Pradesh Assembly results 2023: Saffron wave led by CM Chouhan sweeps

MP Assembly election results 2023: BJP leaders attributed the electoral success to PM Narendra Modi, who addressed as many as 14 poll rallies in the state

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday retained power in Madhya Pradesh, winning 129 seats, and is leading in 35, according to the latest official figures. The Congress' plans to wrest power from the BJP were shattered as the grand old party has managed to win just 38 seats and is leading in 27 more.

According to news agency PTI, celebrations broke out at the BJP office in Bhopal, while the Congress office wore a deserted look after it became clear that the saffron party was poised to retain power in Madhya Pradesh with an emphatic win over its rival.

Many BJP leaders attributed the electoral success to PM Narendra Modi, who addressed as many as 14 poll rallies in the state.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan gave the credit for the victory to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Chouhan also said they have properly implemented welfare schemes of the "double engine" government.

"Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji is in the hearts of the people of Madhya Pradesh. The state is also in the heart of Modi ji. There is immense faith towards him. He held public meetings here and appealed to the people which has touched the people's hearts. Such trends are coming as a result of this," Chouhan said.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that the BJP won due to its welfare policies in the state.

"I have always told you that as far as Madhya Pradesh is concerned, people have given all their blessings to the double-engine government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi (at the Centre) and in the state led by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan because of its welfare and development-oriented policies," he said.

In the Budhni assembly constituency, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan of BJP defeated Vikram Sharma of Congress by over 100,000 votes.

Kamal Nath, senior Congress leader and former CM of the state said that the party will analyse the loopholes.

"We accept the decision of Madhya Pradesh voters in this contest of democracy. We, being the opposition party, will stick to our duty. I congratulate BJP and hope that they will live up to the people's support they got," Nath said.

Polling in the single-phase elections on November 17 saw an impressive turnout of 77.82 per cent, surpassing the 2018 voting percentage of 75.63 per cent. The state electorate voted for 2,533 candidates in 230 constituencies. There were 559,000 eligible voters.

In the outgoing Assembly, the BJP has 127 members, and the Congress has 96. There are four independents, while the BSP has two and the SP has one member. In 2013, the BJP won 165 seats and the Congress 58. In those polls, the BJP garnered 44.88 per cent votes while the Congress polled 36.38 per cent votes. In 2018, the Congress emerged victorious in 114 seats with a 40.89 per cent vote share, while the BJP registered a win in 109 seats with 41.02 per cent votes.

(With agency inputs)