Madhya Pradesh election 2023: Polling on November 17, result on December 3

The counting of votes will take place on December 3

The voting for the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly will be in a single phase on November 17, 2023. Results will be announced on December 3, 2023, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced.

The election process in Madhya Pradesh will begin with the issue of notification on October 13. The last date of nomination for the candidate will be on October 20. Their candidature will be scrutinised on October 21.

Issue of notification	October 13
Last date of nomination	October 20
Scrutiny of nomination	October 21
Last date of withdrawal of candidature	October 23
Date of polls	November 17
Counting of votes	December 3

According to the rules of the Election Commission, candidates can withdraw their candidature by October 23.

Madhya Pradesh is among five states to undergo Assembly elections this year, setting the stage for the last major electoral exercise ahead of the 2024 national elections.

Polls will also be held in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Mizoram. While the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) rules Telangana, Madhya Pradesh is ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Congress is in power in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and the Mizo National Front (MNF) is in power in the northeastern state.

Also Read: Election Commission announces dates for polling in five states; check here

BJP vs Congress in Madhya Pradesh

The BJP is currently the ruling party in Madhya Pradesh, with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan leading the government. The BJP has been in power in the state for the past 15 years, and it is facing a strong challenge from the opposition Congress.

The Congress party is led by Kamal Nath, who served as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh from 2018 to 2020. The Congress was ousted from power in Madhya Pradesh in 2020 after some of its MLAs defected to the BJP.

Why is the Madhya Pradesh election crucial?

The upcoming Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh are crucial for both the BJP and the Congress party. The BJP is looking to retain power in the state, while the Congress is aiming to make a comeback.

The Congress was the main opposition party in Madhya Pradesh for most of the past three decades. However, the party made a comeback in the 2018 Assembly elections, winning 114 seats. The BJP won 109 seats in the 2018 elections.

In March 2020, the BJP came back to power in Madhya Pradesh after the Congress government collapsed. Shivraj Singh Chouhan was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the state for the fourth time.

A victory for the BJP in the upcoming polls would further consolidate its position as the dominant political force in Madhya Pradesh. A victory for the Congress party would be a major setback for the BJP, and it could also have implications for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.