Chandigarh – Apparently legislative assembly elections 2023 in Madhya Pradesh will be a closely fought race.
Being the first laboratory of the RSS, it will be unwise to underestimate BJP. Given the past, where BJP has been winning 66 seats since 2008 or before, it would be reasonable to assume that BJP will get a minimum of 95 to hundred seats. BJP senses this, hence the high decibel campaign by its star campaigner PM Modi.
That being said, there is an undercurrent of fatigue against the BJP governance (or the lack of it) in the state. Congress seems to be in play in 120 seats plus minus 5 seats.
How Congress will fare depends on how it fares in seats such as – 1. Bhander, 2. Bhind, 3. Gohad, 4. Lahar, 5. Mehgaon, 6. Sewad, 7.Bhopal southwest, 8. Bhopal central, 9. Bhopal north, 10. Banda, 11.Damoh, 12. Deori, 13. Molhara, 14. Depalpur, 15. Indore 1, 16.Rau, 17. Sanwer, 18. Sanchi, 18. Vidisha. If Congress closes these seats it stands a very good chance of improving upon its last tally, if not elections might head for a photo finish.
- Kumar Sanjay Singh is Associate Professor, Swami Shraddhanand College, Delhi University. Views expressed are personal.