New Delhi, Dec 13 (DC): With the Congress poised to form governments in Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the race for Chief Ministers is on. Congress president Rahul Gandhi is expected to finalise the names of Chief Ministers.
The Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan has authorised Mr Gandhi to name the Chief Minister. On Wednesday, the Congress with 114 seats, two short of the magic number, managed to seal Madhya Pradesh, with the support of BSP and the Samajwadi Party. With the support of its allies and one Independent candidate, Congress tally stood at 118.
In this crucial state the race for chief ministership is between state unit chief Kamal Nath and senior party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia. Sources revealed that Mr Kamal Nath could be the party’s choice for the top post.
In Rajasthan, the Congress with 99 seats, one short of simple majority, yet again crossed the halfway mark with the support one RLD and 6 BSP MLAs.
While Sachin Pilot, the state unit chief, was being viewed as a strong contender for the post of chief minister, senior party leader and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Ghelot was leading the race.
In Chhattisgarh, while state unit chief Bhupesh Baghel has emerged as the front-runner, party MP Tamradhwaj Sahu could be the dark horse. The other party leader in the ring is T.S. Singhdeo.
The Congress received a boost in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan after Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati pledged her party’s support to it.
Speaking early on Wednesday, the BSP chief said that it has decided to support the Congress.
“Results show that people in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were totally against the Bharatiya Janata Party and its anti people policies and as a result chose Congress due to lack of other major alternatives,” Ms Mayawati said.
In Madhya Pradesh, three-time chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhhan tendered his resignation on Wednesday to governor Anandiben Patel, who then met a Congress delegation — led by Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia — at noon after party leaders staked claim to form the government.
Talking about her party’s electoral triumphs, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi described the party’s good showing in these states as a victory over the BJP’s “negative politics”. It was a “Congress victory over the BJP’s negative politics,” she said.
For Chhattisgarh, the latest data showed the Congress got 43 per cent votes in this election, up from 40.3 per cent in the 2013 state polls and 38.37 per cent in the 2014 general elections.
The party won only one out of 11 Lok Sabha seats in the state. In comparison, the BJP's loss has been wider with its vote share dipping from 41 per cent in 2013 to 33 per cent now. In 2014 general elections, the party had got nearly 49 per cent vote and 10 out of the 11 Lok Sabha seats.