By L.S. Herdenia
BHOPAL: Recent political developments in Madhya Pradesh seem to indicate an improvement in Congress chances in the coming Assembly elections.
Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Indore, the commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh, where he addressed a public meeting and held road shows, reportedly received overwhelming response from traders and businessmen, besides general public. The Congress president also visited the adjoining tribal districts. At Khargone he repeatedly referred to Narendra Modi as Chowkidar and the crowd spontaneously responded with ‘chor hai’ indicating a strong popular discontent against the prime minister.
Another event which scored points in favour of Congress is the resignation of three leaders from BJP to join the party. They included BJP legislator Sanjay Sharma. Sharma along with OBC leader Dr. Gulab Singh Kirar and Dalit leader Kamlapath Arya, who joined Congress in the presence of Rahul Gandhi, PCC chief Kamal Nath, campaign committee chairman Jyotiraditya Scindia and former Union minister Suresh Pachuri in Indore. Sharma, said to be BJP’s second richest legislator, said he quit the ruling party because he was “feeling suffocated in BJP”.
“No development work took place in my constituency. Chief Minister Chouhan only promised development and the state government does precious little” he said.
Sharma had lost the Tendukheda seat to Congress candidate Rao Uday Pratap Singh in 2008 but won in 2013 by over 44,600 votes. Meanwhile, Singh shifted allegiance to BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and won the Hoshangabad seat. He is seen likely to contest the assembly elections this time. Sources in BJP said Sharma was peeved that his old rival Uday Pratap Singh might be fielded from Tendukheda and he might be denied a ticket. He was also annoyed by the fact that Jalam Singh Patel, brother of MP Prahlad Singh Patel, was elevated to be a minister-of-state by the CM in the last cabined expansion earlier this year. Patel hails from the same Narsinghpur district as Sharma, who in his 2013 affidavit declared assets worth Rs. 65 crores.
Along with Sharma, BJP has lost the chairman of the state Peechhara Varg Ayog (OBC Commission) and former national president of Kirar Samaj, Dr Gulab Singh Kirar. As the Ayog chairman, Kirar enjoyed MoS status. Both CM Chouhan and Gulab Singh belong to the same Kirar caste, a powerful farmer OBC community.
Congress has repeatedly accused Gulab Singh of involvement in the VYAPAM scam, but he was seated on the Congress dais where Rahul was present. BJP’s third casualty of the day was Kamlapat Arya, a Dalit leader from Chambal, who was fielded by the party in 2008 from Dabra assembly seat.
“The exodus from BJP shows it is a sinking ship” said state PCC spokesman Ravi Saxena. “Political workers are joining Congress because it is a party that believes in justice and development for all. When a Brahmin MLA, a prominent OBC face and a Dalit leader leave a party in a single day, it reveals that every section of society wants a change,” he said. Asked how Congress accepted Gulab Singh, Saxena said “Even CM Chouhan has been accused of involvement in VYAPAM. It is unfair to jump to conclusion based on allegations.”
Last month, PCC chief Kamal Nath had claimed that sitting BJP MLAs were in touch with him. Sources in Congress claimed eight more well-known BJP faces have shown eagerness to switch sides.
Meanwhile, a large number of sadhus and sants have intensified their campaign against Chief Minister Shiv Raj Singh Chouhan. Namdev Tyagi, known as Computer Baba, who had recently resigned from his ministerial post given by the state government, is getting aggressive against the Shivraj government.
During his man ki baat in Ramrati Vatika near Koteshwar temple in Gwalior, Baba said the Shivraj government was against conservation of dharma, cow and Narmada. He added “Seers made the Shivraj government and it will be seers who will bid farewell to his government.” The congregation pledged to oppose the Shivraj government. (IPA Service)
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