Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh): All eyes are set on 34 seats in the Gwalior-Chambal region in the upcoming assembly election.
These seats have become important, because it is the first assembly election after Jyotiraditya Scindia’s defection to the BJP.
In the 2018 election, the BJP had to bite the dust in Scindia’s bastion, because his sky-high popularity at that time was the reason behind the BJP’s loss.
But the situation has changed now. Just as one enters the Gwalior-Chambal region, one feels the political atmosphere in this area is different from other places in the state.
People discuss more about caste of the candidates than about the Congress and the BJP.
At some places in Gwalior, people talk about local issues, availability of legislators, and about the government’s projects, but caste is the buzzword in the Chambal area.
It is because of caste factor that the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is giving a bad time to the Congress.
The BJP is also in trouble in a few constituencies because of the BSP’s presence.
Party-hoppers are contesting from 21 seats in the Gwalior division, and from most of the 13 seats in the Chambal division.
Those who have defected from the Congress to the BJP, from BJP to the Congress, from the Congress to the BSP, from the BSP to the Congress and from the BJP to the BSP have girded up their loins in the electoral ring against each other.
Because of defection, the issues are no more important in this area. Caste equations and anger of candidates against each other have become more important than any other issues.
Among the important leaders, Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Home Minister Narottam Mishra, Leader of Opposition Govind Singh and former minister Jaivardhan Singh are in the fray.
The BSP has fielded many candidates from the Gwalior-Chambal region. Because of the BSP candidates, many constituencies are witnessing a triangular contest.
The BSP has got strong candidates, after BJP and Congress rebels switched over to that party.
Out of 34 seats, the BSP candidates are considered strong in ten.
So they are making a dent in BJP and Congress vote banks. This has created confusion in this region.
Although Scindia has joined the BJP, yet the people’s anger against the candidates has made the contest tough for the ruling party in this region.
Nevertheless, only time will tell what role the outcome of the Gwalior-Chambal region will play in forming the next government, but it will of course decide the political future of many BJP and Congress leaders.
