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.
Denne historien er fra June 11, 2023-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 11, 2023-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
