BJP pulls in MPs to assembly battlefield in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh: Know why

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the world’s largest political party, appears to be leaving no stone unturned in ensuring a complete wash away victory in all the five states' assembly elections this year. While in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the party is looking for a big comeback, in Madhya Pradesh it seems to be going all out to hold the status of the ruling dispensation. Pertinently, before the end of this year, five states, including Telangana and Mizoram will go for assembly polls, which is also being considered as the final round contest before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Unlike Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana, the BJP is facing the heat of anti-incumbency in the state of Madhya Pradesh, where the party has been ruling for the fourth term, leaving far behind the 15-months rule of Congress under Kamal Nath after the 2018 polls.  

Drawing hint from party's defeat in last polls, BJP has shifted to newfangled strategy

In the 2018 assembly elections, the BJP had tasted defeat, when the Congress under the leadership of Kamal Nath voted to power in the state. However, he only could continue to rule the state for a period of 15 months, when 22 of the party’s MLAs led by Jyotiraditya Scindia switched to the BJP leading to the formation of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government for the fourth time in the state.

However, drawing a hint from the party’s defeat in the last assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, it appears to be shifting to a newfangled strategy to tackle the opposition parties in the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh.

This is the reason why the party, which never shied away from projecting a CM face in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, for the first time in decades has decided to fight the state assembly battle without a chief ministerial face.

Three Union Ministers, 4 MPs in Madhya Pradesh battle

The BJP has fielded three Union ministers including the names of Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Singh Patel and Faggan Singh Kulaste in the assembly elections, along with four other MPs including the names of Rakesh Singh, Ganesh Singh, Reeti Pathak and Uday Pratap Singh. Not only this, BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya has also been made candidate in the assembly polls.

With a new strategic move to determine a clear clinching victory in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP may be hoping for a conclusive outcome, but a few political experts feel that this will lead the party to a faction-ridden position.

Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah left everyone speculative about the next BJP chief minister, when asked whether Shivraj Singh Chouhan would be sworn in as CM again if the party mandated to power, saying that it is party’s job to decide on next the chief minister and the decision will be taken when time comes.

BJP’s seven MPs formula

It appears that the BJP has adopted a seven MP plan to battle the political parties in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. This is why the party is fielding seven sitting Members of Parliament in the assembly elections of the two states.

It is being claimed that to counter the anti-incumbency factor, the party’s think tanks framed the strategy to project big faces in the polls. Sources claim that the party top brass speculates that these big forces will not only put a weight on BJP’s vote bank in their assembly constituencies but will also be impactful in the surrounding assembly segments.

Additionally, with these biggies in the field, the BJP now will have multiple choices for chief ministerial post, if the party manages to regain power. These leaders too are well ready to throw their hats in the ring, when given a chance.

BJP’s card to combat Congress’ caste politics

The Congress party lately has appeared to have adopted caste politics and has been continuously raising the issue of caste census to target the BJP. With Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel in the field now, the party seems to be sending a strong message to the OBC community eventually neutralising opposition’s caste politics.

Not only the OBC projecting Faggan Singh Kulaste as candidate, the party hoped to mark its presence back in the tribal community-dominated Mandla region.

The BJP had lost a considerable number of seats in the 2018 state assembly polls, where the party used to have a strong hold among some certain community dominated constituencies. This is why the party has come up with a changed formula this time.

As per party sources, fielding Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in the assembly polls is expected to provide strength to the party in Chambal region, while Kailash Vijayvargiya and Rakesh Singh are expected to provide an edge in Malwa and Mahakaushal regions, Moreover, projecting Reeti Pathak in Vindhya region is expected to consolidate the vote bank, where the party had fared well in 2018 polls.

BJP kept anti-dynasty attitude rock solid

The BJP, which has for long cornered other political parties over dynasty politics, abstained from giving tickets to the scions of BJP leaders, despite several of them wanting to be fielded in the upcoming elections by the party. It is being said that son of MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, son of MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra and son of Kailash Vijayvargiya were in contest to grab a ticket for the assembly polls.

Losing power in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka has led the party leaders to brainstorm a game plan before the biggest political battle in 2024.

Chhattisgarh political war room analysis

For the Chhattisgarh assembly battle, the BJP has released the names of candidates on 85 seats out of the total 90 assembly constituencies. Like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has gambled on five of its sitting and former MPs in the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections.

Considering a marginal loss in the 2018 assembly polls after three consecutive terms in the state, the BJP has implemented the formula to field the party’s Parliamentarian on the assembly seats. This is why the party has brought four sitting MPs including a union minister along with a former-Member of Lok Sabha to the field.

In the list, the party has named Union Minister for State for Tribal Affairs and Surguja MP Renuka Singh from Bharatpur-Sonhat seat, Durg Parliamentarian Vijay Baghel, who will take on Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel from Patan seat, former Union Minister Vishnudeo Sai, who is a tribal leader will contest from Kunkuri seat (reserved for the STs), Bilaspur MP Arun Sao, who will fight from Lormi seat and Raigarh MP Gomati Sai, who will be in the fray from Pathalgaon seat.

Apart from them, former Chief Minister Raman Singh, will try his luck from Rajnandgaon assembly seat. Raman Singh, who ruled the state for three-consecutive terms is also the vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Caste mathematics in Chhattisgarh

In Chhattisgarh, where 29 assembly seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes, the BJP has given tickets to 30 candidates, who belong from the same community. Apart from them, the party has given tickets to 10 candidates, belonging to the Scheduled Tribe (ST). They will represent the party on 10 reserved seats for the ST community. In addition to it, the party has fielded 31 candidates belonging to the OBC category. The party has tried to keep a fair balance between young and old generations, while choosing candidates.