Shivraj Govt’s strength rises to 127 in 230 members Assembly
The BJP won 20 of the 28 seats in the by-elections in Madhya Pradesh, giving it enough numbers to achieve majority in the Assembly and provide stability to the Shivraj Singh Chouhan Government in the State.
The Congress got some consolation by bagging 8 seats. The BSP could not win any seat. It fought on 2 seats.
In the 230-member Assembly, the BJP tally has increased to 127 (well above simple majority mark of 116) with the addition of these 20 seats. Prominent BJP Minister Prabhuram Choudhary won the bypolls from Sanchi with a margin of 63,809 votes.
Reacting to the results, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the outcome proves voters supported the decision taken by Congress MLAs to pull down the previous Kamal Nath dispensation.
“It has been proved today that public has supported the decision taken by our MLA colleagues under the leadership of Scindia (BJPs Rajya Sabha member Jyotiraditya Scindia) to pull down the (Nath) Government,” Chouhan told party workers in his address as bypoll results poured in.
The BJP won Mandhata, Suwasra and Badnavar while its candidates led at 15 others. Narayan Patel, Hardeep Singh Dang and Rajyawardhan Singh Dattigaon won at these seats respectively. Prabhuram Chaudhary of BJP also won from Sanchi in Raisen despite stiff internal resistance within BJP.
Meanwhile Congress could only maintain lead at eight seats while BSP candidate was in the lead at Morena seat.
As soon as the counting began on Tuesday morning, the BJP candidates raced away with lead on Congress rivals and as the time progressed the BJP’s win margin only swelled further.
Even as Congress party seniors like Digvijay Singh and PC Sharma reposed faith on EVM votes to gain recovery, the BJP kept mounting its lead. In no time, the BJP workers had gathered at party head office at Bhopal and started celebrations with drums, danced and distributed sweets.
Elated party workers called it an ‘early Diwali’ for them. With a broad smile, State head VD Sharma too had joined in with a drum.
Terming this win historic, Sharma greeted PM Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah and working president JP Nadda. “Kamal Nath and Digvijay Singh had engaged in corruption and looted the State and also challenged BJP workers with unlawful action on them and these workers have replied to this today.”
The public has shown that it was Kamal Nath who was a traitor as he run the Government at the behest of Digvijaya Singh, added Sharma.
Public seems committed for development and welfare and it is evident the voters have decided to hand us the responsibility, tweeted CM Chouhan who enjoyed sweets with party seniors at BJP office in Bhopal.
MPCC chief Kamal Nath, who had worshipped lord Hanuman before coming to PCC office on Tuesday morning, quietly accepted defeat. “Whatever is the public mandate is paramount for us. We will accept the result,” said Nath before leaving for his residence from PCC office even as the counting was underway.
Jyotiraditya Scindia aides, including Pradyumn Singh Tomar, Imati Devi and Munnalal Goyal, all led from Gwalior, Dabra and Gwalior East seats. However Scindia loyalist ministers - Girraj Danditiya, Aidal Singh Kansana were trailing.
His loyalist Jajpal Jajji was also trailing from Ashoknagar seat against Asha Dohare of Congress party. Barring a few, several of his loyalists were leading.
BSP had fielded candidates on all the seats but could only reach close to winning only one, Morena, where party’s Ramprakash Rajoria was leading with over 10,000 votes till reports last came in.
Close fight was visible in seats like Bhander, Agar, Mahgaon, Ashoknagar, Ambah and others where BJP and Congress candidates are taking turns to gain lead. The lead has constantly remained under 1000 on these seats.
The BJP required only eight seats to gain majority on its own and it seems winning way more than what was required.