Bhopal: Banking on inroads it made in Dalit-dominated constituencies in Madhya Pradesh during last year’s state elections, the Congress is hopeful about four such seats won by the BJP in 2014, amid a power play with Mayawati’s BSP. The Congress made significant gains in four SC-reserved Lok Sabha seats of Bhind, Tikamgarh, Dewas and Ujjain, all held by BJP, winning 17 of the 32 assembly segments that make them up. The BJP, on the other side, could manage only 13 seats but hopes to make a comeback in this election. One each was won by the Samajwadi Party and the BSP.
However, the BSP which is supporting the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in the state is not happy after its Guna candidate, Lokendra Singh Rajput, switched over and vowed allegiance to Jyotiraditya Scindia last week. Mayawati, who has a considerable sway in certain pockets of the state, has threatened Congress, saying it will have to pay a “heavy price” for Guna episode. Lok Sabha seat-wise mapping of vote shares in the assembly elections shows more votes were polled in favour of the Congress in three parliamentary constituencies – Bhind, Dewas and Ujjain, while the BJP is ahead in Tikamgarh.
The Congress is yet to register a win from Tikamgarh seat, which was carved out after delimitation of constituencies in 2008. BJP’s Virendra Kumar Khatik, a union minister, has held the seat for the last decade. However, Khatik faces a formidable challenge this time as the BJP’s margin in the constituency saw a downward spiral from two lakh votes in 2014 to about 37,700 in last year’s state polls.
“Congress performed well in last year’s assembly elections on seats under these four Lok Sabha segments. Dalits are fed up with the BJP due to its apathy towards them. The BJP’s functioning is unconstitutional,” Mahendra Bauddh, state Congress SC cell’s chief said. On Mayawati, he said, “It is being seen in the media at present. But will see when polling date nears.” BJP claims there is Modi wave because of development and the surgical strike. PTI