(This story was first published on 15 October 2020 and is being republished on the eve of polling day in Madhya Pradesh, for bypolls to 28 seats. At least 25 of these bypolls were necessitated after Jyotiraditya Scindia, along with his loyal MLAs, switched over to the BJP camp, bringing down the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in March this year.)
As many as 28 seats in Madhya Pradesh will vote in the upcoming by-elections, making this almost like a mini-Assembly election. Also at stake are the political fortunes of a number of key leaders in Madhya Pradesh politics: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, former CMs Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh, Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and of course the man at the centre of the entire battle – Congress-turned-BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia.
After all, these bypolls were necessitated after Scindia along with his loyal MLAs switched over to the BJP camp, bringing down the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in March this year.
So what's likely to happen in the bypolls? Can Kamal Nath win enough seats to stage a comeback or will the newly formed Shivraj-Scindia alliance hold ground?
Here are four factors that need to be kept in mind.