Ahead of the 2018 Assembly elections, Congress ups its game in Madhya Pradesh
After a very long time in Madhya Pradesh, the tone for political discussions is being set by the Congress and not the BJP that has ruled the state for almost 14 years. There is a buzz in the grand old party, mainly because of the presence of top-rung leaders in the field.
The activity is having a positive effect on workers too that have been galvanised by this. No credit for this should, however, accrue to the central leadership of the party that hasn't helped in getting things off the ground in any way. The present flurry of activity began with the firing in Mandsaur that led to the death of five farmers. CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan sat on a fast, pressing for peace to return. Soon afterwards, Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia announced a satyagrah in Bhopal.
The backstage planning for the satyagrah was the call by Scindia to Congress leaders of all factions to come together. The event was attended by former CM Digvijaya Singh, and Chhindwara MP Kamal Nath joined the conclusion in the form of a kisan sammelan at Khalghat on the MP-Maharashtra border. Another united face was presented at Lahar in Bhind district and again at Churhat - the constituency of Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh in Sidhi district.
Both public meetings had Scindia as the main speaker and had farmers as the main constituency. Cultivators constitute 42 per cent of the state electorate while farm dependent labour another 28 per cent. The activity on the ground by Congress leaders is a decision taken by them among themselves to take on the well-entrenched BJP in a united way.
After all, the 2018 elections are about survival for the Congress. Amid the show of unity, some hiccups still remain for the Congress. While Scindia insists that the Congress, wherever possible, should announce a CM candidate as elections are more personality-based now, Digvijaya Singh is of the opinion that the party should go to the polls without doing so.
The issue came to the fore at the Lahar meeting and at Churhat, deputy speaker Rajendra Singh (who is politically opposed to his nephew Ajay Singh) did not attend the meeting even though he represents a constituency close by. But is presenting a united front enough for the Congress to be in the reckoning in 2018? Not at all.
CM Chouhan maintains his popularity in all areas of the state even after being in office for 12 years. He has bucked anti-incumbency twice and has a few tricks up his sleeve this time too. The BJP with the help of the Sangh has made massive inroads in rural areas - and has a cadre-base - something which has been greatly eroded in the case of the Congress in the last 14 years. The central leadership of the Congress has not taken a major decision regarding the party unit of the state, even though changes have been made in neighbouring Chhattisgarh.
AICC general secretary Mohan Prakash is said to be not on the same page with top Congress leaders from MP like Digvijaya Singh, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kamal Nath. He is a firm supporter of PCC president Arun Yadav. While there are differences between leaders, they are able to thrash some issues out. What if a change is effected and the situation worsens? Sometimes, no decision is better than a bad decision.