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BJP storms back to power in MP with two-thirds majority
Bhopal, Dec 04: Riding high on a strong anti-incumbency wave, the BJP today stormed back to power in Madhya Pradesh with an unprecedented two-thirds majority in the 230-member Assembly ending the decade-old reign of Congress and setting the stage for fiery Sanyasin Uma Bharati to become the state`s first woman chief minister.
Bhopal, Dec 04: Riding high on a strong anti-incumbency wave, the BJP today stormed back to power in Madhya Pradesh with an unprecedented two-thirds majority in the 230-member Assembly ending the decade-old reign of Congress and setting the stage for fiery Sanyasin Uma Bharati to become the state's first woman chief minister.
With results of 221 constituencies already out, BJP has won 166 seats, more than double the haul from previous polls in 1998, and established leads in 12.
The strength of Congress, which had 124 seats in the outgoing House, has been reduced to 38 while other parties secured 17.
BJP chief ministerial candidate Bharati won from Bada Malhera seat after the sitting MLA and her brother Swami Prasad Lodhi shifted from there.
The impact of the anti-incumbency wave was so strong that Chief Minister Digvijay Singh's victory margin plumetted from a record figure in 1998 to just over 21,ooo votes against BJP rival Shivraj Singh Chauhan in Raghogarh constituency and several Congress heavyweights, including 20 ministers and Assembly Speaker Sriniwas Tiwari fell like nine pins. The party suffered reverses in all the regions.
The ministers who lost included Mahendra Singh Kalukheda Urmila Singh, Madhndra Baoudh, Subhash Kumar Sojatiya, Bapulal Malviya, Veersingh Raghuvanshi, Manvendra Singh, Vijaylakshmi Sadho and Ratnesh Soloman, brother-in-law of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi.
Besides Digvijay Singh, other Congress winners were deputy chief ministers Subhash Yadav and Jamuna Devi and a few other ministers who managed to survived the saffron surge.
In the electoral battle, which was described as a tussle between a 'Sanyasin' Uma and 'Diggy Raja', as Digvijay Singh belongs to the erstwhile raghogarh principality, power crisis and bad roads, which became key issues through an aggressive BJP campaign, mainly contributed to Congress' debacle.
The landslide victory brought jubilation in the BJP camp with Uma Bharati flying back from Vrindavan to a tumultuous welcome amid bursting of crackers and beating of drums.
As her helicopter landed on the historic Lal Parade ground it was virtually a stampede with police having a tough time controlling the surge of overjoyed party workers and admirers and a large number of people.
The celebrations were not dampened by the defeat of the Sanyasin's brother swami prasad lodhi against influential minister K P Singh in Pichhore constituency of Shivpuri district which witnessed large-scale violence during polling on December one.
This is the third time a non-congress party won with two-thirds majority in the state. Earlier in 1977 elections, the Janata Party had swept to power in the backdrop of the emergency.
In 1990, BJP led by Sunderlal Patwa had secured a two thirds majority in the wake of Hindutva wave set off by the Ayodhya movement.
The saffron surge, however, could not save BJP's Bherulal Patidar, former deputy speaker, who lost to Antar Singh Darbar in Mhow constituency. BJP national general secretary Shivraj Singh Chauhan was also defeated by Chief Minister Digvijay Singh in his traditional bastion Raghogarh.
Bureau Report
With results of 221 constituencies already out, BJP has won 166 seats, more than double the haul from previous polls in 1998, and established leads in 12.
The strength of Congress, which had 124 seats in the outgoing House, has been reduced to 38 while other parties secured 17.
BJP chief ministerial candidate Bharati won from Bada Malhera seat after the sitting MLA and her brother Swami Prasad Lodhi shifted from there.
The impact of the anti-incumbency wave was so strong that Chief Minister Digvijay Singh's victory margin plumetted from a record figure in 1998 to just over 21,ooo votes against BJP rival Shivraj Singh Chauhan in Raghogarh constituency and several Congress heavyweights, including 20 ministers and Assembly Speaker Sriniwas Tiwari fell like nine pins. The party suffered reverses in all the regions.
The ministers who lost included Mahendra Singh Kalukheda Urmila Singh, Madhndra Baoudh, Subhash Kumar Sojatiya, Bapulal Malviya, Veersingh Raghuvanshi, Manvendra Singh, Vijaylakshmi Sadho and Ratnesh Soloman, brother-in-law of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi.
Besides Digvijay Singh, other Congress winners were deputy chief ministers Subhash Yadav and Jamuna Devi and a few other ministers who managed to survived the saffron surge.
In the electoral battle, which was described as a tussle between a 'Sanyasin' Uma and 'Diggy Raja', as Digvijay Singh belongs to the erstwhile raghogarh principality, power crisis and bad roads, which became key issues through an aggressive BJP campaign, mainly contributed to Congress' debacle.
The landslide victory brought jubilation in the BJP camp with Uma Bharati flying back from Vrindavan to a tumultuous welcome amid bursting of crackers and beating of drums.
As her helicopter landed on the historic Lal Parade ground it was virtually a stampede with police having a tough time controlling the surge of overjoyed party workers and admirers and a large number of people.
The celebrations were not dampened by the defeat of the Sanyasin's brother swami prasad lodhi against influential minister K P Singh in Pichhore constituency of Shivpuri district which witnessed large-scale violence during polling on December one.
This is the third time a non-congress party won with two-thirds majority in the state. Earlier in 1977 elections, the Janata Party had swept to power in the backdrop of the emergency.
In 1990, BJP led by Sunderlal Patwa had secured a two thirds majority in the wake of Hindutva wave set off by the Ayodhya movement.
The saffron surge, however, could not save BJP's Bherulal Patidar, former deputy speaker, who lost to Antar Singh Darbar in Mhow constituency. BJP national general secretary Shivraj Singh Chauhan was also defeated by Chief Minister Digvijay Singh in his traditional bastion Raghogarh.
Bureau Report