MP Assembly by-polls: Shivraj, Scindia joint campaign likely
Scindia had snapped 2-decade-long ties with Congress to join BJP along with his loyalists in March
Bhopal: BJP on Thursday blew beguile for the upcoming by-elections in 27 assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh with chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and senior party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia launching a joint poll campaign in the Chambal region.
The outcome of the by-polls in the 27 assembly seats, expected to be held by end of October this year, may decide fate of Shivraj government as well as the political future of scion of erstwhile Gwalior royal family Mr Scindia.
The two leaders jointly addressed a series of public meetings at Damini and Ambha under Morena district on the occasion of the launch of a number of development programmes for Chambal region in MP.
While Mr Chouhan reeled out the measures undertaken by his 5-month-old government to uplift the poor particularly the farmers in the state, Mr Scindia launched a diatribe against previous Kamal Nath government for ‘going back’ on its promise to waive farm loans to the peasants.
“Congress had declared to waive crop loans up to Rs 2 lakh of each farmer within ten days of coming to power in the state. But, former chief minister Kamal Nath had conveniently forgotten the pledge made to the peasants during his 15-month-rule in the state”, Mr Scindia thundered.
As many as 16 of the 27 assembly seats that are going to by-elections in coming days fall in Gwalior-Chambal region, considered the pocket borough of the Scindia dynasty.
Scindia had instigated a revolt against Mr Nath in March this year by asking his 22 loyalists to resign from the assembly as well as Congress to pull down the Kamal Nath government.
Scindia had snapped 2-decade-long ties with Congress to join BJP along with his loyalists in March.
He may get the opportunity to redeem his position in state politics by helping BJP win assembly seats in his area of influence.
Similarly, the ruling BJP which has a strength of 114 in the 230-member assembly may find a challenging task to ensure stability of its government in the state if the party did not fare well in the assembly by-polls.
Strength of Congress in the house has reduced to 89 following resignation of 25 party MLAs in the last five months.
Two other assembly seats have fallen vacant following the death of their sitting MLAs.