Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Many politicians’ prestige is at stake in the areas, which saw polling on Wednesday in the first phase of civic body polls. Interestingly, the voters in the state capital Bhopal appeared to be not much enthusiastic when compared to the voters in many other parts of the state.
Gwalior-Chambal region has two ministers in the union cabinet - Narendra Singh Tomar and Jyotiraditya Scindia and at least nine ministers in the state cabinet - Narottam Mishra, Yashodhra Raje Scindia, Mahendra Singh Sisodia, Pradhuman Singh Tomar, Arvind Bhadoria, Bharat Singh Kushwah, Brijendra Singh Yadav, Suresh Dhakad and OPS Bhadoria, the last four being minister of state.
The lowest voting in Gwalior-Chambal region was in Guna - 63.10%. Sheopur, Morena, Bhind, Gwalior, Shivpuri, Datia and Ashok Nagar registered poll percentage of 73.20, 66.10, 68, 74.80, 72.50, 67.10 and 75.40 respectively.
The civic body polls in the region acquire much importance in the region as it’s the first time when it has gone for civic body polls since 22 Congress MLAs including 6 ministers switched over to the BJP in March 2020 leading to fall of Congress government and it being replaced by the BJP government.
At least 15 of the 22 MLAs came from Gwalior-Chambal region and all of them are loyalists of Jyotiraditya Scindia. The poll results will be reflection on the public mood about the leaders too. However, in bypolls held almost two years back, most MLAs won from the region.
Bundelkhand, Vindhya, Mahakoshal and central regions of the state also witnessed good turnout of voters except in cities like Bhopal, Singrauli and Khandwa, which saw comparatively low turnout of voters till the evening, when the figures were collected last by the state election commission.
