Battle For The Heartland

An upbeat Congress looks to retain Chhattisgarh and eyes a comeback in Madhya Pradesh

- SRAVANI SARKAR

The weather is unpleasant in central India these days, with sudden bursts of storms and rain adding humidity to the high temperatures. The same holds true for the political atmosphere in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh where elections are due in five months.

The BJP and the Congress are preparing to battle it out once again in the two states, which are largely bipolar. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said his party would win 150 seats (of the total 230) in Madhya Pradesh, just like it did in Karnataka. The BJP has adopted a resolution about winning more than 200 seats. In Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has repeatedly spoken about the Congress’ aim to hold on to its current tally of 71 seats, whereas the BJP claims that it would win a clear majority.

Political watchers feel that Madhya Pradesh will see a tight contest, with the Congress in a far better position compared with 2018 and the BJP facing anti-incumbency and internal dissent. They say the Congress might actually have an edge over the BJP at this point, while the BJP’s biggest hope is Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s popularity. As for Chhattisgarh, the Congress government, riding high on its welfare schemes and the Chhattisgarhi pride factor, is placed comfortably against the surprisingly demoralised BJP. In both states, the selection of candidates will be crucial.