Madhya Pradesh is poised to witness some interesting contest amid forthcoming state assembly by-election for 26 seats. These seats fall vacant after Jyotiraditya Scindia loyalists’ quit the Congress and joined BJP. Election Commission is likely to take final call soon over finalization of the poll dates. However Covid 19 pandemic which is spreading its tentacle in state along with other parts of the country might play as spoilsport both for the EC and political parties.
In the 2018 Assembly polls... out of 34 seats spread over Gwalior/Chambal Malwa-Nimad, Bundelkhand, Vindhya and Central region, Congress had bagged 26, BJP won 7 and one seat of Bhind went to BSP. Politically speaking the Scindia family enjoy great deal of respect, love and affection among people of Gwalior/Chambal region at large. At that time Jyotiraditya Scindia was in Congress. Now he is with BJP and will be campaigning together with CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
Barring a few seats the forth coming by- poll is likely to witness some keen contest. As of now the BJP seems to have advantage over Congress at least on count of candidate’s name finalization, though the race is far from over. Congress however is still mulling over the name finalization process. Besides,the party led by former chief minister Kamalnath is eagerly eyeing for heavyweight turncoats from other camp to join its bandwagon. In the house of 230 assembly seats, majority mark is 116 to stake claim for government formation. In the present scenario.. BJP has 129 members including 22 Scindia loyalists and with support from 4 Independent, 2 BSP and 0ne SP members Shivraj Govt has enough leg room to flex muscles.
While for Congress... the tally of 90 members of its own and the task to make a comeback appears to be a bit too optimistic if not impossible. The Congress in order to come back in power... will have to clinch more than 20 out of 26 seats. So for the coming by - polls...both camps geared up to take challenge head on. Meanwhile BSP supremo Mayawati has reportedly announced to contest independently.
