The minor political parties, except Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have joined hands in Madhya Pradesh for the Assembly elections, however there are least chances that they would come out with something new.
There has been convention of bipolar politics in which electorates voted for either the Congress or BJP. Before Assembly polls, Samajwadi Party (SP), CPI, CPM, Rashtriya Samanata Dal (RSD) and Gonndwana parties got united and decided to contest elections together.
Stage is set, teams are ready with their captains, only 230 players from each side are to be announced by the major political players in Madhya Pradesh, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the main opposition Congress.
The smaller political players have though announced their players but the State having bipolar history and these smaller players do not have much to do except for playing spoilsport for some individuals. But this point around would be for the first time that some of the smaller parties have formed a joint front to take on BJP and Congress in order to provide alternative of thee major political forces to the people of State.
Though, the coming up elections in the State are also not going to be an exception as it throws up the possibility of a recurrent bipolar inclination. History has it that Governments formed in the State have achieved majority on their own and never had to depend on any form of outside support. The electorate has ensured in the past that the winning party managed a comfortable victory.
Ever since Union Power Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has been entrusted with heading the Congress campaign committee in the State, a neck and neck race between the Congress and incumbent BJP is on the cards in poll-bound state.
Past seven instances of electoral results show the aforesaid fact where a party mustered majority. In 1977, the Janata Party came to power but was trounced in the very next elections when Congress returned to power. The 1980 Assembly elections witnessed Congress winning 246 seats while the opposition was reduced to mere 60 seats.
After Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1985, Congress garnered 250 seats while opposition could manage only 58 seats. While in 1990, Congress party was reduced to just 56 seats after Bofors scam when BJP won 220 seats. In 1993 after Ayodhya, the BJP was ousted and Congress was brought back to power by managing 174 seats against 117 of the opposition BJP.
Congress formed the Government again in 1998 winning 172 seats. Between 1998 and 2003, BJP rose to power winning 172 seats, when at the same time Congress was left lurking with 39. The 2003-08 elections extended this run for BJP where it won 143 while Congress won 71.
Now, it would only be the time that would tell which way the state goes, would it stick to its bipolar trend or the third front would make any indifference.