Internal survey claims 9% fall in BJP's vote share in MP

New Delhi: Poll-bound Madhya Pradesh is expecting a drop of 9 per cent vote share for the ruling BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections. The party's internal survey indicates 140-145 seats for Bharatiya Janata party, out of 231- which is 62 per cent of entire vote share, sources said.

In the last elections in 2013, the party claimed 71 per cent vote share with 165 seats. However, the top leadership aims to retain 200 seats this time.

Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat declared on Saturday the single-phased Assembly polls in the state of Madhya Pradesh on November 28, 2018, along with Mizoram.

In the large bipolar polity, BJP has been in power for three terms in the state. But it might face a challenging election this time. Whilst the chief minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, seems to be the most popular face, his government, on the other side, has been hit by a series of protests, including by Dalit organisations over the Supreme Court order on the SC/ST Act, and later by the upper castes and OBCs.

Even the farmers' outrage across the state dominated the headlines of national dailies in the last year with the killing of five protesters by police firing in Mandsaur. Though the report of the judicial probe has been filed, the government has chosen not to make it public. Later, the BJP government had announced compensation of Rs 1 crore.

The 'Hindutva' is also likely to be a poll issue, where lynching cases were linked to communal passion and cow vigilantism. According to the 2011 census, Madhya Pradesh has 90.9 per cent Hindu population, while 6.6 per cent is Muslim population.

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress is also eyeing to retain power this time. The party has also tried to play the religion card, announcing the Ram Van Gaman Path, setting up major temples as hubs of religious tourism, and build a gaushala in every panchayat if it comes to power.

But, whether BSP supremo Mayawati's decision to go alone in the impending Assembly election troubles Congress, it is the matter to see. Moreover, in all three states, Congress is facing infighting.

Whereas, BJP chief Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have turned into the election machine and Shah has initiated Jan Sampark Yatra (Mass Communication campaign) from Rajwara, Indore on Saturday. He is also scheduled to address three rallies on October 9, October 14 and 15 respectively in Gwalior, Chambal, Hoshangabad, and in Rewa.