MP Polls on 28 Nov: Key Issues and Major Players to Watch Out For

Madhya Pradesh will vote for its next chief minister on 28 November. The results will be declared on 11 December

(Photo: PTI/Altered by The Quint)

The dates are out! Madhya Pradesh will vote for its next chief minister on 28 November. The results will be declared on 11 December, the Election Commission announced on Saturday, 6 October.

Here’s a look at the key factors for the Congress and the BJP in the state:

Congress

1. Consolidate Bypoll Wins

The Congress will have to consolidate its lead in the bypolls and the municipality elections.

The Congress won Kolaras by a margin of 8,000 votes, and Mungaoli by a narrow margin of 2,000. In August, the party won nine out of 14 municipal seats, snatching three from the BJP.

2. Anti-Incumbency

The BJP has been in power in Madhya Pradesh for the last 15 years. Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been the chief minister of the state for 13 of those 15 years. Reports of corruption – the Vyapam and the e-tender scam – have dented the party and the chief minister’s image.

3. Focus on Adivasi, Dalit Communities

The Congress’ traditional vote base in the state, has over time eroded and divided up between the BJP and the BSP. To win them back, Surendra Choudhary, a Dalit, has been appointed as the secretary in charge of the state. It is speculated that if the Congress wins, the Choudhary could be elected deputy chief minister.

BJP

1. Zero Anti-Incumbency

The BJP will bank on its ability to organise itself on the ground and on the RSS’ work to sail home to victory. Like Modi, Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s image has been cast as a pro-development leader.

2. ‘Return to the Days of Digvijaya’

The anti-Congress propaganda includes a warning to the people about Congress leader Digvjaya Singh’s tenure as chief minister which was synonymous with bad roads and lack of electricity.

3. Development + Pro-Farmer Policies

The BJP is set to project its development indices and pro-farmer budget to boost its election campaign.

Key Players to Watch Out for

What the Pre-Poll Surveys Say

A huge mandate for the Congress has been predicted in the pre-poll surveys conducted so far. The ABP-CVoter opinion poll has predicted a 117/230 seat win for the Congress.

Currently, the BJP has 165 MLAs in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly and the Congress occupies 58 seats.