Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the most prominent of the five states going to polls in November, are witnessing political upheaval unlike ever before with the release of candidate lists. The landslide of a kind not seen before is happening more intensely in the RSS-controlled, militarily disciplined BJP than in the ragtag Congress. The current Hindutva government in Madhya Pradesh led by Prithviraj Chauhan was patched together in 2018. It was carried out by getting defectors from the Congress, which had come to power with an absolute majority, its emerging potential candidate for AICC presidency Jyotiraditya Scindia along with her followers, promising berth in Central cabinet. The in-fight by seat aspirants in the BJP takes place as the party is trying to crawl back to power amid fears of backlash from the widespread discontent against saffron rule. Alongside protest against candidates chosen for 22 seats, dissidents in six seats declared resignation. One of the aspirants to resign is senior BJP leader Rustam Singh. The retired IPS officer is a two-time former BJP minister. Rustam Singh was provoked over giving his seat to Raghuraj Singh Kansana, who crossed over to the BJP from the Congress along with Jyotiraditya. The former police officer has joined BSP along with his followers. Three other senior leaders in the Jyotiraditya camp have also turned against the party over seat denial.
Coming from Bhopal to Jaipur, the BJP’s internal environs appear to be more explosive. After the first list of 41 candidates shook the party, dissidents have taken to streets in several districts of the state, protesting against the second list of 83 candidates. Not only in Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhuj , Alwar districts, but even in Jaipur also dissidents came out against party president CP Joshi. The senior leader and member of royal family Vasundhara Raje Scindia has somehow been tamed when it became evident that the leader and her fans were to cause a costly division of the party. The BJP is facing fractious in-fight after it declared to end the ‘misrule’ of aging Ashok Gehlot. At least in one place, dissidents set fire to a party office. Police had to intervene when party workers set ablaze the campaigning materials in protest against giving seat to the sitting MLA Deepti Maheshwari for Rajsamand constituency. Following this, booth-level workers have quit the party.
When it comes to Congress, the clamour of seat aspirants never makes much of headlines. It seems the Congress cannot exist, as it were, without fight even for sharing party positions at village, regional and state levels. However, months ahead of the 2024 general election, the Congress set out to oust the Narendra Modi with an INDIA bloc of 28 parties. It is critical for the party to garner majority in the five states that are going to the polls. Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra shows some silver linings though. However, states with hopes for success including Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are beset with group feuds and egos of regional leaders. Senior leader Kamal Nath’s decision not to give even one seat of the nine that INDIA bloc member Samaj Party demanded, does not augur well. It is reported that a rethinking is underway after Akhilesh Yadav warned of consequence in Uttar Pradesh’s 80 seats in Lok Sabha polls. It seems three quarters of a century’s experiences have not taught our parties and their leaders any lesson. It is sad to say that activities of selfish and ambitious leaders and enemies of public can only weaken the democratic system based on adult suffrage.