In the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged victorious, securing a significant win. Out of the three Union ministers from the BJP who contested, two emerged victorious, while one faced defeat. Despite the presence of prominent Congress leaders like former chief ministers Kamal Nath and Digvijay Singh in the campaign, the BJP maintained its dominance.
As of now, the BJP has secured 137 seats in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly and is leading in 28 more seats, demonstrating a strong performance. Union Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar won from the Dhimani Assembly seat, securing a considerable margin over the BSP candidate Balveer Singh Dandotiya. Another Union minister, Prahlad Singh Patel, also secured a victory from the Narsinghpur Assembly, defeating the Congress candidate Lakhan Singh Patel.
However, Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste faced defeat, losing to the Congress candidate Chain Singh Warkade by approximately 9,723 votes. Despite this setback, the BJP’s overall performance in the elections has been robust, surpassing the halfway mark (115) and maintaining a comfortable lead.
According to the Election Commission, the BJP won 137 seats and was leading in 30 more, while the Congress won 44 seats and was leading in 20 more. This indicates the BJP’s stronghold in Madhya Pradesh politics. In the previous 2018 assembly elections, the Congress had secured 114 seats to form the government, while the BJP held 109 seats.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which had previously won the assembly elections in 2003 under Uma Bharti, continued to dominate in subsequent contests in 2008 and 2013. However, it faced defeat to the Congress in 2018, leading to a period of Congress rule from December 2018 to March 2020 under Chief Minister Kamal Nath. The BJP returned to power in March 2020 with Shivraj Singh Chouhan becoming the chief minister for the first time in 2005.
Moving to Rajasthan, the BJP secured a massive victory in the state, winning 115 seats and comfortably crossing the 100-seat majority mark. The Congress, which aspired to break the trend of the incumbent being voted out every five years, managed to secure 69 seats. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed surprise at the unexpected results, humbly accepting the people’s mandate.
Notable victories for the Congress included Sachin Pilot from Tonk, Shanti Dhariwal from Kota North, Tikaram Jully from Alwar Rural, and Anita Jatav from Hindaun. However, Assembly Speaker C P Joshi of the Congress lost the election from Nathdwara to the BJP’s Vishvaraj Singh Mewar.
Congress turncoats faced defeat in Bari and Nagaur in the Rajasthan assembly elections. Girraj Singh Malinga, who switched from Congress to BJP, lost to BSP candidate Jaswant Singh Gurjar in Bari. Former Congress MP Jyoti Mirdha, who joined the BJP, lost to her Congress rival Harendra Mirdha in Nagaur.
Senior BJP leader Vasundhara Raje secured a victory from the Jhalrapatan seat, emphasizing the BJP’s success in Rajasthan. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat took a jibe at Gehlot, stating that Rajasthan has come out of the spell of the “magician,” referring to Gehlot’s background in a family of magicians.
In Chhattisgarh, the BJP achieved a significant upset, securing power in the state despite predictions of a close contest in exit polls. Union Minister Amit Shah highlighted the support of tribal, poor, and farmer communities, expressing faith in Prime Minister Modi and blessing the BJP with a substantial majority.
In summary, the recent election results reflect the political dynamics and shifts in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. The BJP’s strong performance in these states indicates the party’s continued influence and strategic victories, while the Congress faces challenges in maintaining its electoral foothold.
