Prestige of several stalwarts at stake in MP bypolls

The fate of several political stalwarts will be sealed in the EVMs after the voting in bypolls for 28 Assembly seats of Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday.

This is perhaps for the first time in any state that more than candidates the prestige of stalwarts, who are behind them, is at stake in these bypolls.   

This is the reason why all the bigwigs did not hesitate to cross “Lakshman rekha” several times during the poll campaign. All the leaders employed every possible method so as to wrest maximum possible seats.  

Now, all eyes will be set on the results of the MP bypolls which will be announced with the outcome of the Bihar Assembly elections. Reports from Bihar are not that positive for the BJP. This has made the bypoll results in MP more important.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working hard to create an atmosphere in favour of the NDA by holding a series of rallies in Bihar. But RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav seems to be gaining an edge over Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as of now. The Congress is also getting benefit of the current electoral atmosphere in Bihar.

Indications from Madhya Pradesh suggest that the BJP may bag more than 15 seats out of total 28 seats where bypolls will be held on Tuesday. The Congress is giving a tough fight to the saffron party in many seats. It is said that the Congress may cross double digits. The leaders of both the parties claim to be winning 17 to 18 seats in MP by-elections.  But nobody is claiming more than 20 seats.  

Given the campaign and other poll-related activities, it is clear that all is not well in both the Congress and the BJP. It looked like an easy election for the BJP in the beginning but now the Congress looks to be giving a tough fight to the saffron party. MP PCC chief Kamal Nath worked very hard, campaigning all through single-handedly. Though Digvijaya Singh was also seen working on the field, there was a palpable lack of enthusiasm on his part. Other Congress leaders were not given much importance in campaigning.  

What is clear is that Kamal Nath will continue to lead the Congress in MP now. If the Congress manages to get a respectable number of seats then it would remain intact. Otherwise, there may be the possibility of a split in the party. 

These bypolls will determine the political future of Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh. As regards the BJP, leaders such as CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Narendra Singh Tomar, Kailash Vijayvargiya and Uma Bharti tried to put up a show of strength by unitedly campaigning in all the Assembly seats going to poll today.

But CM Chouhan and Scindia were the ones who worked much harder to ensure party candidates’ victory in the bypolls. Scindia and Chauhan will be among those leaders whose fate will be sealed in the EVM on Tuesday. Their political stature will hinge on the outcome of the bypolls.