Women queue to cast their votes during the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, in Indore district, Tuesday, November 3, 2020 (PTI photo).
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At stake in Madhya Pradesh are the political ambitions of four senior national leaders: Kamal Nath from Congress, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Narendra Singh Tomar of the BJP.
Jyotiraditya Scindia
The Maharaj, who lost his traditional Guna parliamentary seat in the 2019 general elections by a margin of more than 1 lakh of votes, must show his new party that he has support in the Gwalior-Chambal region. In fact, these elections may be the most crucial of Scindia’s political career.
If his loyalists manage to win and comfortably lead the BJP to the other side of the line, his political stature will rise and he will be in a strong bargaining position ahead of a ministerial shakeup at the Center. On the contrary, if Congress wins more seats than the BJP, it will be a personal humiliation for him, even if the Chouhan government survives.
The Gwalior-Chambal area, where 16 of the 28 seats are located, is a stronghold of both Scindia and the leader of Congress, Digvijaya Singh, who belong to former royal families of the region. The slights of Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh are considered one of the main reasons for Scindia’s decision to leave Congress for the BJP.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan
For the four-term Chief Minister who was sidelined by his party’s central leadership after the BJP lost the 2018 Assembly elections, these by-elections are an opportunity to demonstrate his continued importance and relevance in the state.
Chouhan leaves no stone unturned to win the secondary elections, from kneeling and seeking forgiveness from the farmers at Mandsaur to making announcements that will cost the financially stressed state nearly Rs 3,000 crore.
Voters queue to cast their ballots for the state polls at a polling station in Raisen district on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020 (PTI photo).
Kamal Nath
The 74-year-old veteran is looking for a comeback. Addressing a rally after losing power due to the Scindia revolt, the former Union minister asked excitedly: “Meri kya galti thi ki meri sarkar gira di gai? Kyon ki main achchha kaam kar raha tha? “
Later at that same rally, he vowed to return to power and has since taken charge of his party’s political affairs, from the distribution of tickets to the deployment of cabin-level managers.
Narendra Singh Tomar
The by-elections are also important for BJP leader Narendra Singh Tomar, who had played a key role in incorporating the MLA from the rebel Congress into his party. He also belongs to the same region as Scindia, Gwalior, and an impressive performance in the by-elections will enhance Tomar’s stature in the party and could further his main ministerial ambitions.
The BJP has been battling heartburn after deciding to reward almost all the rebels who support Scindia. Party workers have voiced their disgust at the marginalization of veteran leaders during the expansion of Chouhan’s ministry. An emphatic victory will give the party more leeway and time to resolve problems in its state unit.
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