Up Events Boost Cong In Mp

The fall of the Kalyan Singh government appears to have boosted the morale of Congress voters here, albeit marginally, and dampened the enthusiasm of BJP votaries. What is the point of voting? They do whatever want anyway, remarks Ajay Gupta, a shopkeeper here.

Polling appeared to be dull in some polling stations in the city centre yesterday morning. Some polling agents attributed this to the fact that people rise late on a Sunday. Polling was held yesterday for half of Madhya Pradeshs 40 Lok Sabha seats. The main contest across the state is between the BJP and the Congress.

While BJP agents insisted the events in Lucknow had had no impact here, Congress workers reported a slight surge of confidence.

 

Political workers here and in Rajasthan, where the turnout on February 16 was much larger than 1996, say a high turnout in these general elections may turn out to be good news for the Congress.

A high turnout has traditionally set off alarm bells among Congress leaders in past elections, since the Congress had a dedicated bloc of voters. But, patterns have changed during the 1990s. Particularly in these elections, Sonia Gandhis campaign appears to have enthused a number of swing voters to turn to the Congress.

A few upper caste voters talk of being affected by Gandhis campaign too, but she appears to have had her greatest success among traditional Congress backers, such as the scheduled castes and tribes and the minorities.

Dulh Chand, a tribal from Doiphodia village near Burhanpur, says theres been a hungama among Congress workers. Many traditional Congress supporters had begun to turn away, thinking Indira Gandhi was dead and the party could not do very much for them any more. They are now turning back, he reports, thinking Indira Gandhis daughter-in-law will do as much for the poor as she did.

Roop Singh, a 70-year old scheduled caste of Manasa village in Devas district, points to his house and the score more in the Indira Awas Colony of his village and says: She gave us these. (The scheme was actually launched by Rajiv Gandhis government).

Even some BJP workers of Dhar district have crossed over to the Congress because of Gandhis emergence, claims Vishnu Patidar, a Congress activist in Tirla village. Adds 21-year old tribal, Dayaram Kushwaha of Malipura village in Devas district: Before Sonia came to campaign, the BJP was expected to get 35 seats. Now the Congress is fairly dominant.