BHOPAL: With just 24-hours to go for the bypolls votes counting, the leaders of the three rival parties are waiting with bated breath. The electoral fate of 355 candidates of 28 Assembly constituencies which went to polls on November 3 is sealed in EVMs which will be opened on Tuesday. The counting at all constituencies will begin from 8 am and the trends are expected around 9 am and the results by evening.
Most worried are the turncoats, who shifted their loyalties and joined the rival parties as their political prestige is at stake. It is litmus test for the most of the BJP candidates, as their political honours rests over winning the seat.
The 25 Congress MLAs who had left the party putting blame on the former chief minister Kamal Nath for not paying attention to their constituency, are having sleepless nights. The new inductees are hopeful that their move to join BJP for ‘development’, finds favour with the voters.
The BJP currently has 107 MLAs and needs to win eight more seats to attain a simple majority in the House. On the other hand the Congress needs 28 MLAs to form the government . The Congress's tally has been reduced to 87 after the resignation of 26 MLAs since March this year. Among others, the house has two BSP, one SP and four Independent members.
The BJP leaders claimed that seven MLA including four independent, two BSP and one SP MLA are supporting the government. While addressing the media a few days back, Nath was asked about the ‘equation to form the government’. He answered ‘I know how to form the government and also I know the numbers, just see, when the time comes’.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had said, ‘We are in power and the government is working and after the result, it will continue to function”.
The number game
Full strength of the Vidhan Sabha -230
Assembly current strength : 201 MLAs
Congress -87
BJP -107
Independent-4
BSP-2
SP-1
One Congress MLA from Damoh Rahul Lodhi had resigned from the Vidhan Sabha membership and had joined the BJP.
Counting to begin at 8 AM, the first trend would emerge by 9am, the official results to be announced by evening. The counting staff would reach the centre before 7 am. After thermal screening, they will be allowed to enter. Agents of political parties will remain outside the counting booth.
