Bhopal: In preparation for the assembly election in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress Committee of the state has identified 106 candidates, according to a senior Congress member who wishes to remain anonymous.
Out of this group, a significant number of 66 candidates are expected to run in constituencies that have traditionally been dominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and where the Congress party has not been able to secure victory in the three cycles. The remaining 40 candidates are already holding positions as incumbents. While there are currently 56 sitting members from the Congress party in the assembly of 230 seats, there is a growing sentiment within the party that these members need to increase their contributions in order to earn their candidacy.
Kamal Nath, Madhya Pradesh’s Congress Chief, has communicated privately with these individuals regarding their roles, eliminating any need for an announcement. Looking back at the assembly election of 2018, it is worth mentioning that Congress won 114 seats and formed a government. However, things took a turn in March 2020 when 28 legislators who were loyalists of Jyotiraditya Scindia defected from Congress, which ultimately led to the downfall of Kamal Nath’s administration.
This political upheaval paved the way for BJP’s return after 15 months since their previous tenure was cut short. This was further emphasized by the BJP’s victory in 19 out of the total 28 by-polls held in November 2020. Except for this interlude, BJP has largely remained in power since 2003. To promote unity and reduce divisions concerning the distribution of tickets, the selected candidates have been advised to begin their campaign efforts.