Madhya Pradesh Assembly Election 2018 Results: Congress makes big pitches in its manifesto. Here are the highlights

Madhya Pradesh, perhaps being the most intriguing of the five states featuring a thrilling and unpredictable direct battle between the BJP and the Congress, went into polls on November 28. The Madhya Pradesh assembly election 2018 results will decide the fate of 2,097 candidates who are in the fray. 

In a bid to topple the incumbent BJP government which has been ruling in the state for three tenures now, the Congress party has made a big pitch to appease the Hindus and the farmers in its manifesto titled “Vachan Patra”.

READ: Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2018 Results: LIVE UPDATES

Here are the highlights of the Congress' Madhya Pradesh manifesto:

Huge pitch for farm loan waiver: The Congress in its manifesto has promised to ensure farm loan waiver up to Rs. 2 lakhs, also the farmers will have to pay half the electricity bill and the electricity bill for the farmers will be Rs 1 for the first 100 units

Promise for Gaushalas and professionalized production of manure: The Congress party has promised to set up gaushalas in every panchayat. Besides that, an emphasis has been laid on professionalized production of cow manure and cow dung cakes in the cowsheds in the state. 

1 lakh jobs for the youth and 2.5 lakh grants to homeless: In its 112-page manifesto in Madhya Pradesh, Congress has ensured 1 lakh youth jobs in the Information Technology sector and Rs 2.5 lakh grant to the homeless in the state.

'Made in Madhya Pradesh' initiative: The Congress has made 75 promises in its manifesto stating to ensure that goods indigenously made by the people in Madhya Pradesh will promoted, if the party is voted to power.  

Free education to women: The Congress, if voted to form the government, has also ensured that girls will be given free education from school to PhD and Rs 51,000 will be given to girls from poor family backgrounds during the time of their marriage.

READ: Assembly Election Poll Of Polls Verdict: Cliffhanger Awaits Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh; Raje To Lose, KCR & Mayawati Biggest Winners

The BJP, led by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has been in power for since the mid-noughties, and therefore, anti-incumbency was touted as being a major factor in the polls that were held on November 28. However, it wasn't the only one, with the Congress getting embroiled in controversy after controversy, especially over Kamal Nath resolving in a video to target the Muslim vote and Raj Babbar making personal attacks against the Prime Minister. The Congress also suffered from infighting with senior leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Digvijaya Singh having a heated spat in front of Rahul Gandhi over ticket distribution. 

However, the various exit polls weren't able to give a single answer as to who will win the state. Three exit polls gave a slight advantage to the Congress in the 230-member assembly, including CVoter which projects a wafer-thin majority, whereas on the other hand, the BJP was pegged to get a majority on its own in the remaining two polls.

Here are the numbers of the poll of exit polls: