Sardarpur (Madhya Pradesh): Assembly elections in the state this time seem to be completely different. After a month-long campaigning following the election commission's declaration of assembly elections in the state, there was less noise from campaigning and more emphasis on door-to-door public relations.
While the BJP emphasises its Ladli Behna Yojana and various other public-friendly schemes, Congress made the old pension of government employees an important issue by promising to give more Nari Samman amount than BJP.
This time both Congress and BJP, along with JAYS, have made the election campaigning interesting by focusing completely on their relatives and circles. With campaigning for election ended on Wednesday at 5 pm, all the candidates turned on to the door-to-door campaign.
The Bhil voters in the Sardarpur assembly constituency have traditionally been a significant force in shaping the election outcomes. As per the data available, the constituency aggregates around 70 per cent of Bhil voters.
Their dominance in the constituency has led to intense competition among parties, with both Congress and BJP fielding candidates from the Bhil caste to secure their support.
Additionally, the entry of JAYS with another candidate from the community has further intensified the electoral battle, making it a closely contested race. In the 2018 assembly elections, Congress got a huge advantage due to the BJP candidate being from the Bhilala caste.
The caste equation was considered to be the reason for the Congress candidate's huge victory by 36,205 votes. However, this time since all three candidates are Bhils, the caste equation has come down to their relatives.
The intense competition between the candidates has created a fervent atmosphere in the constituency, as each family is leaving no stone unturned to secure their relative's victory.
With the candidates' families actively engaging with voters, the outcome of this election is anticipated to be greatly influenced by the support garnered from their extensive network of relatives.
Till the last moment, the families of the candidates are trying to attract the voters by telling about their distant relatives, including their daughter, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, clan, and their relatives settled in the villages.
They highlight the diverse connections their family has within the community, showcasing their extensive network of support. By emphasising these relationships, they aim to establish a sense of trust and familiarity with the voters, hoping it will sway their decision in favour of their candidate.
