Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh:

Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath has taken a pot-shot at Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan saying that people of the state have decided to give him a warm farewell.

Kamal Nath made the remark while addressing an election rally in Kareli in Madhya Pradesh’s Narsinghpur district on Wednesday.

“Wherever I go, I see that people have decided to give Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan a warm farewell. Shivraj Singh’s 22,000 announcements and his announcement machine was running at double speed in the last five months. The battery of the announcement machine is going to run out soon. If he did not lie every day, his food would not get digested,” Kamal Nath said.

He further said the picture of the state was in front of the people.

“Today, the picture of the entire state is in front of you (Public), how the state has been ruined. Ruined Agriculture system, ruined education facility, ruined health facility, ruined industry facility, ruined economy facility, ruined law and order situation, ruined Panchayat system and ruined rations facility. How much can I say? This ruined state is in front of you today,” the former Chief Minister said.

Kamal Nath also said that the biggest challenge he saw was the future of the youth of the state as there were one crore unemployed youth in the state.

“I look towards the youth of the state; the biggest challenge I face today is the future of these youth. Today’s youth does not want any contract or commission; he wants an employment opportunity. These youths will build the future of the state in future. If the future of these youth remains in darkness, then how will the state be built? This is the biggest challenge. One crore youth are unemployed in Madhya Pradesh,” Kamal Nath added.

Madhya Pradesh is one of the five states set to hold elections this year. The state is scheduled to undergo polls in one phase on November 17 and the counting of votes will take place on December 3. Voters will choose legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh:

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said Madhya Pradesh became a BIMARU (laggard) state when Congress was in power whereas the BJP ensured development in all sectors through good governance.

“I appeal to you to vote for the lotus symbol for strengthening the hands of PM Modi for the security and welfare of people to make the country number one in the world,” Amit Shah told a rally here.

He said the demand for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya lingered on for decades but PM Modi laid the foundation of the temple one morning.

“On January 22, (idol of) Lord Ram Lalla will be consecrated in the huge temple,” Amit Shah said.

The senior BJP leader recalled the “pathetic” condition of roads in Congress-ruled Madhya Pradesh decades ago.

“Several years ago, I used to visit Mahakal temple in Ujjain for darshan from Dahod in Gujarat. I would know that my vehicle has entered MP as I used to wake up due to bumpy roads and potholes,” he added.

He alleged MP became a BIMARU (laggard) state when Congress was in power but under the leadership of PM Modi, every nook and corner of the central state is buzzing with development activities.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bhopal:

The BJP on Saturday released a fifth list of 92 candidates for the next month’s MP assembly polls dropping sitting Indore-3 MLA Akash Vijayvargiya, son of the party stalwart Kailash Vijayvargiya who is in the fray from the Indore-1 segment.

The BJP has fielded Rakesh Golu Shukla from the Indore-3 constituency in place of Akash Vijayvargiya.

Several sitting MLAs are dropped by the BJP in the latest list.

The ruling party has so far declared 228 out of 230 candidates for the forthcoming elections except for the Guna and Vidisha seats.

The latest list includes the names of 12 women candidates, including former state ministers Maya Singh and Archana Chitnis from the Gwalior East and Burhanpur assembly segments, respectively. Incumbent minister Usha Thakur is renominated from Mhow seat.

The single phase polling for 230 seats will be held on November 17 and counting of votes will be taken up on December 3.

Among other prominent candidates who featured on the fifth list are former state ministers Jayant Malaiya (75) and Surendra Patwa, nephew of former MP chief minister Sunderlal Patwa, and Mahendra Singh Sisodia, a loyalist of Union Minister Jyotraditya Scindia.

Jayant Maliaya lost to Congress candidate Rahul Singh Lodhi in the 2018 polls. In the 2020 bypoll necessitated by Rahul Lodhi’s resignation from Congress and subsequent joining of BJP, Jayant Malaiya was denied a ticket.

Rahul Lodhi lost the 2020 bypoll after joining the BJP.

Surendra Patwa is fielded from Bhojpur in Raisen district and Sisodia is renominated from Bamori in Guna district.

State minister Gaurishanker Bisen is replaced with his daughter Mausam Bisen from the Balaghat constituency. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bhopal:

The video of an on-stage banter between Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh has emerged as a big talking point in Madhya Pradesh, with the BJP calling it a sign of infighting and Congress leaders saying the video just captures a light moment between two veterans.

अंतर्कलह से जूझ रही कांग्रेस की कपड़ा फाड़ प्रतियोगिता!

मध्य प्रदेश कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष करप्शननाथ और राज्यसभा सांसद Mr. बंटाधार भरे मंच पर एक-दूसरे से भिड़े… pic.twitter.com/nkD4a1dp2t

— BJP Madhya Pradesh (@BJP4MP) October 17, 2023

The video is from an event during which the Congress’s Madhya Pradesh unit released its manifesto for the November 17 election. The polls in the BJP-ruled state are expected to be a close contest as the Congress pushes hard for a victory.

कमल नाथ जी से मेरे पारिवारिक रिश्ता १९८० से है। हमारे बीच में कई बार कई मुद्दों पर मतभेद रहे है। दो मित्रों में मतभेद होना स्वाभाविक ही है लेकिन मनभेद नहीं रहे। एमपी कांग्रेस के घोषणा पत्र के समय मेरे और कमल नाथ जी के बीच का मज़ाक़िया संवाद। अवश्य सुनिए।⁦@INCIndia⁩ ⁦ pic.twitter.com/vpc7454N45

— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) October 17, 2023

Kamal Nath is the state Congress president and the face of the party’s Assembly poll campaign. Mr Singh, a former Chief Minister, is a Rajya Sabha MP and one of the tallest leader of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh.

In the video, Mr Nath is heard saying that when he was asked to “tear Digvijaya Singh’s clothes for not fulfilling promises”, he had replied that the people should do so if their concerns are not heard.

Mr Singh, who was on the stage, intervened and said the party’s documents are signed by the state Congress chief. “Then whose clothes should be torn?” he asked as party leaders laughed.

Responding, Mr Nath said his relationship with Mr Singh is not political. “It is a relationship of jokes and laughs, of love. Long back, I had given him a power of attorney that he will face verbal abuses for me. That power of attorney is still valid,” he said.

At this, Mr Singh responded, “But people should know who is making mistakes”. “Whether it is your mistake or not, you will face abuses,” Mr Nath said, amid cheers and claps from other leaders.

The state Congress chief reiterated that he and Mr Singh go back a long way. “As I said, it is not a political relationship. It is a family relationship.”

Mr Singh quipped, “He is basically saying, Lord Shiva’s job is to drink poison. Fine, I will drink it.”

As soon as the video circulated on social media, the BJP said infighting in the Congress has come out in the open. “A contest to tear clothes within infighting-hit Congress,” the BJP said in a post on X, adding that the state Congress chief and Rajya Sabha MP were fighting in the open.

Soon after, Mr Singh put out a post on X, saying he and Mr Nath go back a long way. “I have a family relationship with Kamal Nath since 1980. We have had differences on several issues. It is natural for two friends to have differences of opinion, but we have never had a difference of heart,” he said, sharing a video of the banter and requesting people to watch it.

Bhopal:

Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath today released the party’s manifesto for the upcoming state assembly polls, making a slew of promises including Rs 25 lakh health insurance cover for all citizens of the state, 27 per cent reservation for OBCs, and to form an IPL team of the state.

The opposition Congress listed 59 promises in its 106-page manifesto, with assurances for all sections of the society, including farmers, women and government employees.

“We will provide health insurance cover of Rs 25 lakh, which also has an accidental cover of Rs 10 lakh, for all the people,” Kamal Nath said while releasing the manifesto.

Madhya Pradesh will also have an Indian Premier League (IPL) team of the state, he said.

Kamal Nath also announced waiver of farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh and an assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to women.

He also promised to provide LPG cylinders at Rs 500, make school education free, implementation of the Old Pension Scheme and unemployment allowance for youth ranging from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000 per month for two years.

Elections to the 230-member state assembly are scheduled on November 17.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The BJP’s fifth list of candidates for next month’s Madhya Pradesh Assembly election could be its most “explosive”, party sources told NDTV today. When asked about the list, Home Minister Narottam Mishra declared, “List dhamakedar hee hogi. Aage dhamake hee dhamake hone wale hain, Diwali ka tyohar aane wala hai, (List will be explosive… expect fireworks… Diwali is ahead).”

The ruling party Monday ended suspense over the electoral fate of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, 24 of his ministers, and 57 sitting lawmakers, all of whom were named in the fourth list.

The party has named 136 candidates. The Assembly has 230 seats, meaning the BJP has 94 more decisions to make. Many will be made at Sunday’s meeting of the Central Election Committee.

Sources in the party’s state unit said 25 to 30 MLAs may be dropped because of negative feedback.

The list is likely during the Navratri season, which begins Sunday, because the party wants to contain protests by leaders who don’t get tickets; the hope is they will be too busy celebrating the festival.

Among those whose political future remains uncertain are nine ministers; they include Mahendra Singh Sisodiya, OPS Bhadoria, Brijendra Singh Yadav and Suresh Dhakad, all of whom are loyal to Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and who joined him in walking out of the Congress in 2020.

The fate of the nine aside, speculation persists the BJP will name Mr Scindia himself.

READ | Jyotiraditya Scindia’s State Poll Debut This Year? Aunt Sets Off Speculation

The Civil Aviation Minister is a Rajya Sabha MP but has never contested a state election. His potential candidature, though, is in line with the BJP’s tactic for this round of elections – to field a few big-name candidates in each state, like Union Ministers and MPs, with strong local connections.

READ | NDTV Exclusive: Inside Details Of BJP’s Strategy For Upcoming State Polls

In Madhya Pradesh the party has already named four other MPs and three Union Ministers.

Mr Scindia, though, may not have been the first choice; buzz about him sparked only after his aunt, Yashodhara Raje Scindia, opted out of this election citing health reasons; the 69-year-old Ms Scindia, who is Madhya Pradesh’s Sports Minister, has had Covid-19 four times since the pandemic began.

Her nephew may be fielded either from his aunt’s Shivpuri seat or any of the two other seats in Guna – Bamori or Kolaras. All three are in the Lok Sabha segment of Guna that he held from 2002 to 2014.

Meanwhile, the Congress and the BJP have taken pot-shots over lists of candidates, or lack thereof.

Mr Mishra also slammed the Congress after the opposition party referred to potential rifts within the BJP, triggered by leaders who were denied tickets. “Congress has no right to question our list. There is no trace of their own… so better if they don’t say anything,” he said.

The Congress’ national spokesperson, Ragini Nayak mocked “internal factionalism in BJP” and said, “I don’t know… maybe BJP is eagerly waiting for our list. There was a meeting day before yesterday in which (ex-Chief Minister) Kamal Nath gave a statement that 140 names were finalised (but) we should not release our list in Shraddh Paksh. There will be no opposition after release of our list…”

Madhya Pradesh will vote in a single phase on November 17. Results will be out December 3.

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Bhopal:

In the wake of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra predicting Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh’s Chouhan’s exit from the top post following the year-end assembly polls, the latter asked people at a rally whether he should become Chief Minister again or not.

According to news agency Press Trust of India, political circles in Madhya Pradesh are abuzz with speculation about Shivraj Chouhan’s return ahead of the assembly polls.

For the upcoming elections, the BJP has fielded several stalwarts as its candidates, who may be considered as contenders for the Chief Minister’s post, if the party retains power, reported Press Trust of India.

Addressing a gathering in Madhya Pradesh’s Dindori on Friday, Shivraj Chouhan asked people, “I want to ask you whether I am running a good government or a bad government. So, should this government move ahead or not? Should Mama (as he is popularly called) become Chief Minister or not?”

He also asked them if Narendra Modi should continue to be the country’s Prime Minister and whether the BJP should retain power (in the state and centre).

The attendees replied to both the questions in the affirmative.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, while addressing a rally in Dhar district of the state on Thursday, claimed Shivraj Chouhan will not become the Chief Minister again.

“PM Modi ji comes here…Nowadays he is shying away from mentioning the name of Shivraj ji… just taking his own name and asking (people) to vote for me (Narendra Modi). Now he (Shivraj Chouhan) is not going to become your CM,” Ms Gandhi-Vadra claimed.

Shivraj Chouhan, the state’s longest serving Chief Minister, is seen getting emotional during public events and rallies recently. In a public event held in his home-turf Budhni held recently, Shivraj Chouhan asked people if he should contest elections or not.

At a rally in Budhni, the Chief Minister had told women that they would miss a “brother like me” when he is not around.

At an event held in Ujjain on Friday, he said the path of politics was slippery and there was fear of slipping at every step, and sought the blessings of spiritual leaders attending the event to ensure he continues to “walk on the path of virtue”.

Earlier, in Khargone, Shivraj Chouhan had said he had no greed for any post and that he would be happy even if his bones and flesh come of use and do good to people.

Asked about the recent statements seeking public permission about his candidature during the upcoming polls, Mr Chouhan on Friday told reporters in Bhopal, “This means we consider (each other) brother and sisters. Mama’s family, which is the people of the state, understands this. If we have to contest (elections), then we will do this only after asking people.”

“This is a family relation and it takes a lot of insight to understand it,” he said.

Elections to the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly are likely to be held at the end of the year.

The BJP has announced the names of 79 candidates, who include Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Patel and Faggan Singh Kulaste, as well as party’s senior leader and Indore strongman Kailash Vijayvargiya, all political heavyweights being seen as contenders for the Chief Minister’s post.

Earlier this week, Mr Vijayvargiya said he was contesting the upcoming state elections not only to become an MLA, and added that the party would give him some important responsibility.

During a press conference in August, when asked if Mr Chouhan would be Chief Ministerial face of the party, Union Home Minister and BJP’s key strategist Amit Shah had counter-questioned the media asking why it was doing the “party’s work (choosing persons for posts)”.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)