 "madhya pradesh election 2023, Madhya pradesh polls, MP election, MP polls")
With voting now over in all five states, including Madhya Pradesh, all eyes are on the exit poll results, which will come out after polling ends in the state of Telangana today.
The electoral battles in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram commenced on November 7. The counting of votes will be held on December 3.
After weeks of high-voltage campaigning by top leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress across Madhya Pradesh, the votes cast will determine the political future of four-time Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his Congress challenger Kamal Nath, the former CM, as well as several senior colleagues.
When was the polling held for Madhya Pradesh Assembly election 2023?
In its single-phase polling for its 230 Assembly seats on November 17, Madhya Pradesh recorded its highest-ever Assembly election turnout at 77.15 per cent. This went up from 75.63 per cent in 2018, which was the previous record high since the state’s formation in 1956.
More From This Section
What happened in the previous Madhya Pradesh Assembly election?
In the last state Assembly polls, the central Indian state had voted out the incumbent BJP-led government, thereby ending Shivraj Singh Chouhan's 15-year tenure as chief minister.
In a close contest, the Congress, led by Kamal Nath, ended up winning 114 seats, the BJP came in second with 109 seats, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won in two constituencies. Four independent candidates and one candidate of the Samajwadi Party (SP) were also victorious.
However, in terms of vote share, the BJP had secured the highest electoral share of 41.02 per cent, followed by the Congress, which cumulatively won 40.89 per cent of the votes.
With support from SP, BSP and independents, Nath succeeded in forming a government and taking oath as the chief minister. The government, however, lasted for less than 16 months as Jyotiraditya Scindia, then a Congress leader, rebelled and resigned from the party. His exit was followed by 22 MLAs, who were his loyalists, quitting Congress as well and following him into the BJP.
Chouhan returned as the chief minister in March 2020.
Why is the Madhya Pradesh Assembly election crucial?
Madhya Pradesh Assembly election is crucial as it is being held a few months ahead of Lok Sabha election 2024. Madhya Pradesh sends 29 Members of Parliament out of 543. While Assembly elections historically haven't significantly influenced Lok Sabha elections, prevailing concerns such as price hikes and unemployment in the election states could provide insight into the public mood.
What are the main issues in Madhya Pradesh Assembly election 2023?
1. Anti-incumbency
With Madhya Pradesh’s longest-serving CM, Shivraj Singh Chouhan seen as facing the “fatigue factor”, the BJP has refrained from projecting him as CM face.
In addition, the saffron party has brought in seven big names from the Centre to contest the polls. Chouhan, on the other hand, tried to reinvent himself from the affable “mama (maternal uncle)” to a hardline “bulldozer mama” and largely banked on his government's flagship 'Ladli Behna Yojana' for women.
2. Hindutva
The BJP was seen playing the Hindutva card, targeting Congress over the Sanatan Dharma controversy. On September 14, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the INDIA bloc was trying to destroy Sanatan Dharma. The BJP has also been highlighting its development of religious tourist circuits, such as the Mahakal Lok corridor in Ujjain and the Adi Shankaracharya statue in Omkareshwar.
The Congress, on the other hand, was also seen playing “soft” Hindutva card, with its CM face Kamal Nath projecting himself as a Hanuman devotee.
3. Factionalism
The voice of dissent within the state BJP grew with every candidate list the party has released. Meanwhile, the Congress was seen trying to take advantage of this factionalism — mostly between loyalists of Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and BJP veterans — and weaning away its leaders.
4. OBC factor
With their promise of a caste census, the Opposition ensured that the Other Backward Classes (OBC) factor dominated the polls. OBCs make up around 50 per cent of the population in MP — a substantial bloc that is believed to be the BJP’s core vote base. Before Chouhan, OBC leaders Uma Bharti and Babulal Gaur have been its CM.
With the hopes of improving its chances among OBCs with the caste census demand, the grand old party also sought an OBC quota within women’s reservation.
5. Corruption
Borrowing from its Karnataka playbook, the Congress tried to corner the BJP over corruption, calling the Chouhan government a “50 per cent commission” one. In every campaign speech, Kamal Nath alleged that there is “no limit to corruption”.
The BJP, on the other hand, attacked Congress over the same.
Who are the heavyweights in Madhya Pradesh Assembly election 2023?
Shivraj Singh Chouhan
BJP has fielded Shivraj Singh Chouhan from the Budhni Assembly constituency. The Congress has pitted actor Vikram Mastal against him. The 40-year-old played the role of 'Hanuman' in the 2008 TV serial 'Ramayan 2'.
Kamal Nath
In the Chhindwara Assembly constituency, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath is contesting from his home turf against the BJP's Vivek Bunty Sahu, former Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha president for Chhindwara district.
Jaivardhan Singh
Former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh's son Jaivardhan Singh is contesting from his 'family' bastion, the Raghogarh constituency. The BJP has pitted Hirendra Singh, alias Bunty Banna, son of Digvijaya Singh's cousin Mool Singh, against him.
Kailash Vijayvargiya
BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, one of the party heavyweights whom the central leadership has roped in, is contesting from the Indore-1 constituency. The former Indore mayor has been pitted against Congress' Sanjay Shukla.
Prahlad Singh Patel
Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel, yet another BJP heavyweight, has been fielded from Narsingpur. The Congress has fielded Lakhan Singh Patel against him.
Narottam Mishra
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra is contesting from the Datia seat. Mishra is up against Congress' Avdhesh Nayak, a former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary.
Govind Singh
In the Lahar Assembly constituency, the BJP has fielded Ambrish Sharma to contest against Congress' Govind Singh. Singh has the record of recording seven consecutive wins from Lahar. The BJP wants to make inroads into this Congress bastion.
Jitu Patwari
Former Madhya Pradesh minister Jitu Patwari will be contesting from Rau seat, which lies in Indore Lok Sabha constituency. In 2018, he had won the seat by defeating Madhu Verma of the BJP by a margin of 5703 votes.
Controversies surrounding Madhya Pradesh Assembly election 2023
Row over opening of postal ballots
The Madhya Pradesh Congress has accused the administration officials in Balaghat of opening postal ballots ahead of counting, due on December 3. The party alleged that the District Collector got the strong room opened and then other officials opened the boxes of postal ballots without informing the candidates.
Violence during election
As Madhya Pradesh conducted elections on November 17, instances of violence marred the electoral process. The high-profile Dimani Assembly seat in Morena witnessed gunfire and stone pelting, resulting in injuries, including a critically wounded young man. Mirghan village faced a law and order crisis at two polling booths, leading to violent clashes that impeded voters.
Nakul Nath stopped from entering polling booth
Congress MP Nakul Nath, who is the son of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, was allegedly stopped from entering a polling booth in the state's Chhindwara by BJP workers.
Main parties contesting in Madhya Pradesh Assembly election 2023
The BJP and Congress are contesting the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Election in all 230 constituencies.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) has fielded 71 candidates in MP. The Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has fielded 183 candidates, while its ally Gondwana Gantantra Party, a tribal outfit, has given tickets to more than 45 nominees.
The Janata Dal (U) is contesting the polls in 10 constituencies, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded 66 candidates.
