...Political atmosphere on rise Cong on high alert, BJP cautious

By Bhavana ‘Aparajita’

Shukla

Election results will come on December 3. The main contest for the new government in the State is believed to be between the ruling BJP and the main opposition Congress. However, both the parties are assuring their candidates that they are going to form the government with a good margin. While giving a message to their candidates, both BJP and Congress have claimed that it would get between 130 and 135 seats (during the training sessions organised by party for vote counting day). But, there is also a deep hidden concern that if the contest becomes very close then the MLAs might change camps. To avoid the switching sides by the MLAs after the results, both the parties have already started preparations. In a bid to ensure required numbers of MLAs to form government, both the parties are manoeuvring to protect their candidates if a fractured verdict comes. In this race, Congress is going the extra mile as it has taken lesson from ‘Operation Lotus’. Our highly placed sources informed that the party is in process of fortification and for this it has asked neighbouring southern state Karnataka to be on high alert. BJP is also very cautious this time. Experts don’t deny the possibility of a 2018 like situation. In case of any emergency situation when the party (Congress) may fall short of a few seats, it can send its MLAs to safe heaven like Karnataka. To foil the saffron party’s effort to induce its MLAs to defect to reach the magic number. While small parties mainly independent candidates are planning for hard bargains.

Aiming to prevent exodus of newly elected members, the Karnataka government will come into action and newly-elected members will first be sent to Karnataka. preparations for massive fortification are already being made. Both BJP and Congress parties are working on different plans to save their MLAs from horse-trading after the elections.

Karnataka government on alert mode? In fact, in the year 2020, Kamal Nath’s government was toppled due to defection. For this reason, there is more concern in Congress than in BJP and preparations for the fortification of their winning MLAs have already started. Party sources say that a leader very close to PCC chief and CM face Kamal Nath has been given the responsibility of keeping the MLAs united after the elections. It is being said that if the contest becomes very close then the Congress MLAs can be immediately shifted to Bengaluru, where the Congress government is currently in power. For this, the Karnataka government has also been given instructions from the party high command to remain in alert mode. BJP is planning this to form the government: Similarly, in BJP too, the high command has all the sources to prepare the post-poll strategy. The team of veteran leaders is continuously busy brainstorming for this. BJP is prepared that if the number of seats falls short of the majority, then first of all efforts will be made to take along the winning MLAs from other parties and independents leaving the Congress. Keeping in view the Lok Sabha elections of 2024, BJP is preparing a plan to return to power in the state with utmost efforts. Party sources say that instead of waiting for the need, ‘aggressive action’ will be started immediately. During the week of counting, Congress called its candidates to Bhopal for training to prepare the strategy for counting votes and government formation.

At the same time, BJP gave training through virtual meetings. First of all, on Sunday, the State Congress has given training to all its candidates and counting agents. Congress Vice President J P Dhanopia, Mahendra Joshi gave training on Sunday in the Congress auditorium. Congress President Kamal Nath, who joined the training virtually, said, “In this entire election, I tried my best to make the Congress candidates win. The news coming now is all in our own interest. Some would say that the speculative market is saying this”. Congress will have majority government in MP: Kamal Nath further said, “I do not trust anyone. I trust only the voters of Madhya Pradesh. People of BJP think, we will adopt tactics. We will buy people. Now there will be no need for this. You people should participate in this training; I have seen all the presentations that have been given. Our technical team has prepared them. Understand it closely.” He said that the Congress government is going to be formed in State with full majority. Former minister Tarun Bhanot said that after the training in PCC that we are taking care of all the things so that no irregularities occur in the counting of votes.

Our warning to those who create trouble: Congress leader Tarun Bhanot said that the people of the state have sacrificed their votes in the biggest Mahayagya of democracy; there should not be anything that can rob them of their votes. No one should do anything wrong and we have a warning for those who do. Similarly, BJP State President, State Organisation General Secretary Hitanand Sharma, National Co-ordinator of Election Management and Election Commission related works Om Pathak held a virtual meeting with the Divisional In-charge, District President, Assembly In-charge, Election Director and party candidates at the State Office, Bhopal and conducted the counting of votes. Discussed about previous preparations. Congress claims tempering of postal ballots at Balaghat: In its complaint to the Election Commission the party said that ballots were unauthorisedly taken out of the strong room in Balaghat. The party demanded action against the concerned officers. Although the Election Commission denied such irregularity. The party also shared a video clip of the incident.