By
Harihar Swarup
Madhya
Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath is a canny political strategist. He knows
that he has no time to loose as 2019 Lok Sabha elections are not far away. The
alacrity with which CM has announced the new government’s two decisions—farm
loan wavers and limiting government incentives to Industries that employ 70 per
cent locals — has stunned the BJP.
Here’s
a piece of data that CM like Kamal Nath and Gujarat’s BJPCM Vijay Rupani, who
proposed not too long ago a law that makes 80 per cent local employment mandatory
for any firm as well as Maharashtra politician, should know India is among the
worst performers in the world when it comes to inter-state migration.
Kamal
Nath also realizes that challenge from the BJP is more formidable in Madhya
Pradesh. Despite losing the numbers game, the BJP’s vote share was 0.1
percentage point more than that of the Congress and the party has a strong base
across the state. In as many as 10 seats, the margin of victory was less than
1,000 votes. The Congress won seven of these.
Two
of other three seats were decided by a margin of less 350 and 121 votes. The
Congress came third in 14 seats in Madhya Pradesh and fared even worse in five
seats. In the current Lok Sabha, only two of 29 seats are with
Congress—Chhindwara represented by Kamal Nath and Guna, represented
Jyotiraditya Scindia.
If
the results of recent Assembly elections are extrapolated on the Lok Sabha post
2019 elections, the Congress can snatch at least 10 BJP seats.
Kamal
Nath’s first challenge in the coming Lok Sabha election next year will be not
only to retain this edge but improve it, if possible. This will not be an easy
task. Apart from providing good governance, he will have to tone up the party
organization in Malwa, Gwalior, Mahakoshal and Vindhya regions. His seniority
and acceptability across different factions are an advantage.
An
even trickier question for the Congress in run up to Lok Sabha election will be
to revisit the issue of alliance with the BSP, a move that would have
significantly improved its performance in recent elections.
Though
the BSP could win only two seats in the 2018 Madhya Pradesh Assembly election
compared to seven in 2008, at the aggregate level, it has improved its
performance by winning ten seats across the three states, which is two more
than what it won in 2013. The issue of alliance with regional parties like BSP
and Samajwadi Party is all the more relevant for the Congress in the post 2019
election strategy of forging a grand alliance against the BJP.
The
announcement of loan waivers for farmers and more jobs to locals in state’s
industries by Kamal Nath government may be a good start. However, it will have
to ensure that these promises are implemented immediately and effectively.
By
setting up a 22-member committee for implementing the farm loan waiver, the
Madhya Pradesh CM has shown that he is earnest. But he will have to go beyond
these populist measures, if congress has to consolidate its gain in the state.
His
first task now is to pack his council of ministers with those who have required
administrative skills and political sagacity besides representing different
regions and social groups in the state. He must then set up a road map for his
government, translating Congress poll promise into a time-bound actionable
plan.
Farm
distress was one of the key reasons for the BJP’s loss in Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The state government must ensure that the promised
loan waivers percolates to marginal farmers. It must also ensure the Kharif
crop is purchased from farmers at the promised minimum support price.
As
for jobs, cajoling the state industries to employ 70 per cent of the native Madhya Pradesh is not
enough. The government has to ensure that the state’s young people are better
equipped with skills that make them employable.
Madhya
Pradesh is the Hindutva party’s oldest traditional stronghold and the
Opposition-led by former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, cannot be
written off. Moreover the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh will know that
it would soon run out of time. In fewer than four months, the code of conduct
for general elections will be enforced. Kamal Nath will really have to race
against time. (IPA Service)
The post Cm Kamal Nath’s Race Against Time To Secure Congress Base appeared first on Newspack by India Press Agency.
