Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari has expressed his confidence over delivering a splendid performance in the general elections 2024 saying the party has given a good performance on six seats out of 12 seats in first two phases and they can win at least five seats.
"When the Ram temple was built and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP's self-assessment was quite good but now the atmosphere is contrary to that. After the first two phases of LS polls in Madhya Pradesh, where BJP won 28 seats out of 29 in previous 2019 polls, Congress has given a good performance on six seats out of 12 seats. We can win at least five seats," said Patwari in an interview to ANI on Sunday.
He further said that people were now talking about their everyday problems like concern for employment, family livelihood, farmers' income and basic amenities.
"People are tired of PM Modi's speeches and I think it is having an effect on the elections. BJP recently won assembly polls in the state and the change within three-four months shows that people are tired of PM Modi's scheme and his government in the last 10 years. Earlier, the difference in the vote percentage ratio of Congress and BJP was 13-14 per cent but now it would be one to two percent only," the Congress leader said.
When asked about the BJP claims to make a clean sweep by winning all 29 seats in state in the 2024 LS polls, Patwari said that the saffron party was being arrogant and their thinking was like "Ravan".
"Bharatiya Janata Party is being arrogant and its thinking is like Ravan. There is unemployment in every house, inflation and farmers are in debt. The Modi guarantee given during the assembly polls last year turned out to be China's guarantee. Modi's guarantee means China's guarantee. Just like there is no guarantee for Chinese goods, there is no guarantee for Modi's words," he added.
The MP Congress chief said that the Party had performed contrary to expectations in the Assembly polls but thing had changed since. Speaking about the low voting turnout in the first two phases of Lok Sabha polls in the state, Patwari said, "I believe that the voting percentage should be good. Low voting percentage also shows disappointment against the government.
Whenever voting has been less in the state, the Congress party has won. Less voting will benefit Congress 100 per cent." Two phases of Lok Sabha election concluded in which 12 parliamentary seats in the state went to poll. Six parliamentary seats-Tikamgarh (SC), Damoh, Khajuraho, Satna, Rewa and Hoshangabad went to polls on April 29 and six other parliamentary seats-Sidhi, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla, Balaghat and Chhindwara--went to the polls in the first phase on April 19.
The voting for the remaining 17 parliamentary seats is scheduled in the next two phases with nine seats in the third phase on May 7 and eight seats in the fourth phase on May 13.
The counting of votes will be held on June 4.
Madhya Pradesh has a total of 29 Lok Sabha constituencies, making it the sixth-largest state in terms of parliamentary representation. Out of these, 10 seats are reserved for SC and ST candidates, while the remaining 19 are unreserved.
