No anti-incumbency wave was there in Madhya Pradesh: CM Shivraj Chouhan as BJP heads for clean sweep

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Pic/PTI

Rejecting that there was an anti-incumbency wave in Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday thanked the people of the state as the BJP headed towards a landslide victory in the state, reported news agency ANI.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seems poised to return to power in the State where it ruled for 20 years, barring a short span in 2018 when Chief Minister Kamal Nath-led Congress party was in power, reported ANI.

According to trends posted by the Election Commission of India at 1 pm on Sunday from the counting of votes of the Assembly polls held on November 17, the BJP was leading on 161 seats, the Congress on 66 seats and the Bahujan Samaj Party on two seats while the Bharat Adivasi Party had bagged one seat, reported ANI.

Responding to the latest trends, Chouhan said, "No anti-incumbency wave was there in Madhya Pradesh. There is a pro-incumbency wave in Madhya Pradesh. I thank the people of MP and promise everyone that we will fulfil our guarantees," reported ANI.

Dedicating his win to the Ladli Behnas and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the MP Chief Minister said, "I dedicate this win to our Ladli Behnas and PM Modi. We will take Madhya Pradesh forward on the path of progress and development," reported ANI.

Elections to the 230-seat Madhya Pradesh Assembly was a fight between the BJP and the Congress, which was toppled from power in 2020 with help from Jyotiraditya Scindia who defected to BJP from the Congress.

Chauhan is eyeing a possible fourth term as chief minister, and a celebratory mood prevailed at the party office in the state capital Bhopal. Union Minister Scindia who joined in the celebrations said the welfare schemes of Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government in the state contributed to the success of the BJP in the state, reported ANI.

"We knew that as far as Madhya Pradesh is concerned, given the public welfare schemes of our double engine government - people's blessings will be with us... I am confident that their blessings will be with the BJP and we will form the government with absolute majority," Scindia told reporters, reported ANI.

The Union minister also took a jibe at the Congress party as he said, "Congress was preparing ladoos and congratulatory posters were put up. While we were doing our work quietly."

"Ladli Behna scheme is a game-changer and the full credit for it goes to Shivraj Singh Chouhan," Scindia said, reported ANI.

Chouhan relied heavily on schemes like the 'Ladli Behna Yojana' under which Rs 1250 is transferred monthly to eligible women from poor families in the state.

Without putting any name on front for the CM face, the BJP fought the poll under a largely collective leadership while the Congress had projected former Chief Minister Kamal Nath as its chief ministerial face.

(With inputs from ANI)