Jaipur/Bhopal/Raipur/Hyderabad- The Congress faced a setback in the Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh. As the counting progresses in the four states, the BJP is heading towards a massive win in the Hindi Heartlands. With this success, the BJP is now poised to govern 12 states on its own and is part of a coalition government in four more. On the other hand, after losing Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the Congress would be in power in only three states.
The only consolation for the Congress is Telangana, where it unseated the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, which has ruled in the state since its formation in 2014. The latest election results reveal that in both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the Congress fell behind the BJP in regions predominantly inhabited by Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
In Rajasthan, the election trends aren't that surprising because the state has a history of frequently changing its ruling party, and voters haven't chosen the same government since 1993. Despite the Congress relying on Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, often referred to as a 'magician,' and promoting welfare programs, it seems that voters have opted for a change once more. BJP has won 65 in Rajasthan and is leading on 50 seats while Congress has won 36 and leading in 33 seats. Congress is loosing 18 seats as compared to last assembly elections in 2018. BSP has secured one seat and leading on another while BAP candidates marked victory in two seats including Chorasi and Aaspur, both in Dungarpur district.
While the Congress expressed confidence in maintaining power through its welfare schemes, the election results took an unexpected turn. Contrary to expectations, even party stalwarts struggled to defend their seats. Surprisingly, 17 out of 25 ministers, including prominent figures like Speaker CP Joshi, Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, Ex-MP Raghuveer Singh Meena, Parsadi Lal Meena, Mamta Bhupesh, Divya Maderna, BD Kalla, and Udailal Anjana, have faced defeat in the polls.
CM Gehlot graciously accepted the election results, expressing humility and extending best wishes to the new government, emphasizing the importance of carrying forward the developmental initiatives and schemes introduced during his tenure.
BJP's Hindutva ideology served as a key factor in the victory that resonated strongly with voters. Despite the ruling Congress party's efforts to highlight welfare schemes, the appeal of Hindutva seems to have overshadowed these initiatives.
The BJP's success in Rajasthan is attributed to its effective deployment of the Hindutva narrative, leveraging issues related to identity and cultural concerns. This strategy, which included addressing incidents like the murder of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal, allegations of appeasement politics against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and the acquittal of the 2008 Jaipur bomb blast accused, appears to have struck a chord with voters.
In contrast, the Congress party's emphasis on welfare schemes like Chiranjeevi Yojana, constituting welfare boards of various castes and communities did not prove as influential in swaying voters. Despite the government's efforts to showcase its initiatives aimed at social and economic development, the Hindutva card played by the BJP seems to have gained more traction among the electorate.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is making a clear cut comeback in Madhya Pradesh, with 167 seats compared to Congress's 62 seats and one for others. The voting took place on November 17 in Madhya Pradesh. Key figures like Chief Minister Shivraj (from Budhni seat) and State Congress President Kamal Nath (from Chhindwara) contested, along with senior BJP leaders like Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Patel, and Faggan Singh Kulaste.
Tomar won from Dimani, a significant seat in the Gwalior region, while Kailash Vijayvargiya secured victory from Indore. However, Faggan Singh Kulaste lost. Congress's Sajjan Singh Verma lost in Sonakchh, Dewas, while Bharat Adivasi Party registered its first victory in Madhya Pradesh by winning the Sailana seat in Ratlam district.
In other constituencies like Dabra, Rural, South, and East Assembly, candidates from various parties are leading in the rounds. BJP's Rameshwar Sharma won from Bhopal's Huzur seat, but Mahendra Singh Sisodia, a BJP candidate and former minister, lost from Bamori.
In the Telangana Assembly elections, the Congress surpassed the halfway mark, securing victories in eighteen seats and leading in 45 out of the 119 assembly seats. Telangana Minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president, KT Rama Rao conceded defeat as counting trends indicated the Congress' lead.
Expressing disappointment over the unexpected outcome, KT Rama Rao acknowledged the results as a learning experience and extended congratulations to the Congress for winning the mandate. Despite the setback, he expressed gratitude to the people of Telangana for giving the BRS party two consecutive terms of government. The Congress emerged victorious in 65 assembly seats, marking a significant shift in the political landscape of Telangana.
The Chhattisgarh election dynamics took a surprising turn as, initially favoring the Congress, the BJP staged a remarkable comeback. In a twist, the BJP, won 4 seats, is now leading in 52 seats. Notable candidates in this closely watched contest include Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel from Patan, ex-Chief Minister Raman Singh from Rajnandgaon, Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo from Ambikapur, and BJP's Vijay Baghel, who is contesting against Bhupesh Baghel. The Chhattisgarh assembly election, conducted in two phases on November 7 and November 17, witnessed voter turnouts of 78 percent and 75.88 percent, respectively.
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