The results of Ratlam-Jhabua lok Sabha constituency emerged as an alarming bell for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh.
The debacle has come when Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is continuing his third term in the State and is completing 10 years in office on November 29.
The probable reasons behind the BJP’s defeat in the constituency were- inactiveness of the party legislators in almost all the eight Assembly segments, irresponsible statements of the party leaders during campaigning, Petlawad blast case in which the main accused was party’s worker and still at large.
The defeat of BJP candidate Nirmala Bhuria, wife of late Dilip Singh Bhuria with more than 88,000 votes. The party claimed that Dilip Singh was a strong leader in the constituency and with a perception that the party would garner sympathy votes, Nirmala Bhuria was fielded, despite the fact that she was not willing to contest.
By now, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been a charismatic leader and it was felt that whether it was bypolls in past 10 years or civic body polls. In August this year, the BJP had swept civic polls winning and controlling all 16 municipal corporations in the State.
Chouhan had then spoken triumphantly shortly after results were announced, “This is the first time in the history that BJP has won 16 corporations in the State. We owe this success to the people, Congress should think that defaming would not help in politics,” Chouhan had said referring to Congress campaign focusing on Vyapam scam.
Since then, the BJP leaders were out saying that they would make Madhya Pradesh Congress-free State. However, this defeat of the BJP in Ratlam-Jhabua has disturbed all the equations of saffron party.
In May 2014, BJP had won all but two out of 29 lok Sabha seats from the State.
A section of the BJP feels Chouhan’s position as Chief Minister of MP may become vulnerable due to defeat of the BJP at Ratlam. Chouhan is under attack over Vyapam scam currently being probed by the CBI.