TNI Election Desk, Bhopal: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed a resounding victory in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly election, dashing Congress’ hopes of an upset. Despite exit polls initially suggesting a tight race, the BJP has emerged victorious with a commanding lead, securing or leading in 164 seats compared to the Congress’ 65.
The election results reflect a remarkable gain of 59 seats for the BJP, while the Congress faces a significant loss of 53 seats compared to the 2018 outcome. The BJP’s triumph underscores its dominance in the state, a stronghold it has held since 2003.
The current Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, a seasoned politician, has retained his stronghold in Budhni, winning by an impressive margin of 1,02,848 votes against Congress candidate Vikram Mastal. This marks Chouhan’s sixth consecutive win from Budhni, a seat he first secured in 1990.
Despite the Congress’ overall setback, former Chief Minister Kamal Nath has managed to maintain his lead in the bastion of Chhindwara, a testament to his enduring political influence in the region. Kamal Nath, a nine-time Lok Sabha MP, held a substantial lead of 30,546 votes against his BJP rival Vivek Bunty Sahu.
The election results also highlight the impact of Jyotiraditya Scindia’s exit from the Congress in 2020, which led to the collapse of the Congress government. Scindia, now a prominent BJP figure, credited the party’s “double-engine” government, referring to the BJP’s leadership both at the Centre and in the state, for the impressive lead.
Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan attributed the BJP’s success to the “double-engine” approach and welfare schemes that resonated with the voters. He emphasized the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s planning in securing the victory.
The election outcome is a setback for the Congress, which had formed the government in 2018 but lost power in 2020 due to internal defections. Despite Congress leader Kamal Nath expressing confidence earlier in the day, the BJP’s substantial lead has solidified its position in Madhya Pradesh.