Bhopal, In the Indian heartland state of Madhya Pradesh, known for its bipolar politics, traditional arch-rivals the ruling BJP and main opposition Congress stand arrayed in battle order against each other for the general elections.
However, the presence of BSP and SP candidates in some areas adjoining Uttar Pradesh holds promise of making contests engrossing.
In 2004, the BJP won 25 of Madhya Pradesh’s 29 seats and the rest went to the Congress.
The saffron party’s national issues are internal security and the UPA regime’s ”failures” while it will be publicising the state government’s ”achievements”.
Adopting a well-considered strategy, the BJP has thus far announced nominees for 28 of a total 29 constituencies. The BJP campaign has got underway in almost all these constituencies.
Former Union Minister Sushma Swaraj — the BJP’s election in-charge for Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand — is in the fray from this state’s Vidisha from where Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan emerged victorious no less than four times. She is on the campaign trail in her constituency for more than a week now.
BJP state President Narendra Singh Tomar is trying his electoral fortune from Morena.
The Congress, which suffered a humiliating rout in the Assembly polls four months back but definitely improved on its abysmal score in 2003, was yet to announce candidates for seven remaining seats Hoshangabad, Rajgarh, Indore, Bhopal, Dewas, Sidhi and Satna — as per the position until last evening.