The concluding phase of this month’s elections unfolds with Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh casting their votes on Friday. Following this, Rajasthan and Telangana are slated for voting on November 25 and 30 respectively.
Madhya Pradesh Election Dynamics
In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP faces a formidable challenge, battling against the fatigue associated with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s nearly two-decade-long tenure. To counter this, the BJP has introduced Union ministers into the electoral battle, while Chouhan relies on his core constituency of women. The Congress, resurging under the leadership of former CM Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh, is seeking to reclaim power after losing it due to the rebellion of Jyotiraditya Scindia in 2020.
Chhattisgarh Electoral Discourse
Chhattisgarh’s political discourse revolves around the Bhupesh Baghel government’s pro-farmer stance and the BJP’s corruption allegations against the Congress. High-profile Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, frame their policies as pro-poor, while the BJP brings up the Mahadev betting scam, religious conversion, and ‘appeasement politics.’
Telangana Political Landscape
In Telangana, the momentum has shifted over the past month. The ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) faced a strong position with various schemes, but the Congress, buoyed by its victory in Karnataka, aims to capitalize on anti-incumbency against the K Chandrashekar-led party. The BRS, now on the defensive, shifts its narrative towards the potential consequences “if the Congress comes to power.” The Congress, echoing its Karnataka strategy, emphasises six guarantees crucial to its narrative.
The Congress, set to release its manifesto in Telangana, plans a series of schemes, following the pattern observed in MP and Chhattisgarh. Mallikarjun Kharge will lead this effort at a poll rally in Hyderabads Quthbullapur. Rahul Gandhi is expected to cover multiple constituencies in Telangana as part of his campaign trail.
Karnataka BJP Leadership Dilemma
In Karnataka, the BJP grapples with the absence of a Leader of Opposition (LoP) six months after the elections. Newly-elected BJP state president B Y Vijayendra schedules a meeting to potentially break this deadlock and appoint an LoP to take on the Siddaramaiah government in the state.