MP Assembly Polls: No Close Contest, BJP Winning Hands Down, Shivraj Claims

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has dismissed talks of a close contest between BJP and Congress in the recently held assembly polls in the state, and said that “I have no doubt about an emphatic victory of BJP in the elections”.

Addressing the party workers in his home constituency of Budhni, where he is seeking re-elections, late on Monday night, Mr Chouhan claimed that the ground level feedback he has received indicated BJP’s win in the polls in the state.

“I am confident that BJP is winning the elections hands down and is going to form the government in the state for the fifth time. An impression is being given by a section that there is a close contest between BJP and Congress. But, there is no such situation. I have no doubt about our victory”, he said.

Mr Chouhan indicated that his government’s flagship scheme ‘Ladli Behna’ has been able to counter the anti-incumbency factor in the elections, and said, “The beneficiaries of the scheme have removed all the obstacles”.

The scheme, launched five months ago, envisaged provision of monthly assistance of Rs 1,250 to the beneficiaries.

Around 1.36 crore beneficiaries have been covered under the scheme.

Mr Chouhan has already announced that the monthly incentive would be increased to Rs 3,000 in a phased manner if BJP retains power in the state.

Interestingly, the turnout of women voters in the 2023 assembly polls in the state has increased by two percent over the last elections giving rise to hope in the BJP that the party has successfully wooed the beneficiaries of the scheme in its favour in the elections.

Congress has however dismissed the claim saying that the male voter turnout in this poll has also increased by 3.15 percent over the last elections.

The Opposition party has said that the increase in voter turnout, in cases of both male and female, has become a trend in the last five assembly elections.

Assembly polls were held in Madhya Pradesh on November 17.

Results of the polls are scheduled to be declared on December three.

Seven BJP Lok Sabha members including three Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Prallhad Patel and Faggan Singh Kulaste have been fielded in the polls.