In Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh – the creditable innings of Shivraj Chauhan and Raman Singh notwithstanding – the two were also partly helped by the Congress party’s internecine struggles and often outright negative campaigns. The party failed to project a united front, ignoring young leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia.
In Chhattisgarh too, the Congress was visibly divided between the VC Shukla, Moti Lal Vora and Ajit Jogi camps. While Jogi kept projecting himself as the chief ministerial candidate, the other Congress leaders continued to be in denial mode, confounding the electorate to no end. Slim as Congress chances were, Chief Minister
Raman Singh’s promise of providing rice at Rs one per kg won for him the sobriquet of Chaval Baba. In an impoverished state like Chhattisgarh, such gestures count a great deal; and the Congress could find no effective counter to the popularity this had ensured. But if these upsets can for a moment be put aside, the polls do show that the scale – howsoever slightly – is at this point tilted in favour of Congress. And it also looks like the finals will be a real cliffhanger. The issues will be different no doubt, as too will be the protagonists. But what is almost certain is that smaller parties like the BSP will have a major say in determining the course of events.
Both Congress and BJP are gearing up for the Big Battle. While Congress has to put its house to order in some states, BJP wants to sharpen its attack on issues which it feels, might appeal to people in parliamentary elections. “People might not have found rising prices and terror a potent issue in the Assembly elections, but we will keep highlighting the government unwillingness for strident terror law, till either government accedes or people realise the need for such a law”, says BJP general secretary Arun Jaitely.
By announcing a hefty bail package, Congress is leaving no stone unturned to contain inflation, rising prices and combat economic recession. It has already reduced the repo rate and reverse repo rate, besides infusing the manufacturing sector by lowering cenvat. “People would have forgotten about inflation and price rise by General Election time,” said a senior Congress leader. But where all pundits have failed, such statements seem based on the recent euphoria. Reality may be different.....Continue
In Chhattisgarh too, the Congress was visibly divided between the VC Shukla, Moti Lal Vora and Ajit Jogi camps. While Jogi kept projecting himself as the chief ministerial candidate, the other Congress leaders continued to be in denial mode, confounding the electorate to no end. Slim as Congress chances were, Chief Minister
Raman Singh’s promise of providing rice at Rs one per kg won for him the sobriquet of Chaval Baba. In an impoverished state like Chhattisgarh, such gestures count a great deal; and the Congress could find no effective counter to the popularity this had ensured. But if these upsets can for a moment be put aside, the polls do show that the scale – howsoever slightly – is at this point tilted in favour of Congress. And it also looks like the finals will be a real cliffhanger. The issues will be different no doubt, as too will be the protagonists. But what is almost certain is that smaller parties like the BSP will have a major say in determining the course of events.Both Congress and BJP are gearing up for the Big Battle. While Congress has to put its house to order in some states, BJP wants to sharpen its attack on issues which it feels, might appeal to people in parliamentary elections. “People might not have found rising prices and terror a potent issue in the Assembly elections, but we will keep highlighting the government unwillingness for strident terror law, till either government accedes or people realise the need for such a law”, says BJP general secretary Arun Jaitely.
By announcing a hefty bail package, Congress is leaving no stone unturned to contain inflation, rising prices and combat economic recession. It has already reduced the repo rate and reverse repo rate, besides infusing the manufacturing sector by lowering cenvat. “People would have forgotten about inflation and price rise by General Election time,” said a senior Congress leader. But where all pundits have failed, such statements seem based on the recent euphoria. Reality may be different.....Continue
