Fearing unpopularity,  BJP resorts to lies ahead of Madhya Pradesh elections

Perhaps not confident of voters’ support in the coming Vidhan Sabha election, BJP President Amit Shah and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan have sought the blessings of Mahakal.

Both the leaders offered extensive pooja at the Mahakal temple. Later Amit Shah flagged off Chouhan’s ‘Ashirvad Yatra’. Chouhan also performed Abhishek of Lord Shiva along with his wife Sadhana Singh. During his Yatra, he proposes to visit all the 230 Vidhan Sabha constituencies.

While Chouhan sought Mahakal’s blessings, Kamal Nath, Madhya Pradesh Congress President, in a masterstroke addressed a letter to Mahakal. He sought Lord Shiva’s blessings for the people to end the BJP’s “misrule” in the state which goes to polls later this year.

In the letter, released to the media, Nath urged Lord Mahakaleshwar, a form of Lord Shiva to bless the people of Madhya Pradesh so that they vote out the BJP and the nearly 15-year old “misrule” of the saffron party. The Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain is the site of one of the 12 jyotirlingas (shrines considered to be the most sacred abodes of Lord Shiva) in the country.

Nath was prompted to send this open letter to Mahakal prior to the visit of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

While flagging off Chouhan’s Yatra, Shah declared that the November Vidhan Sabha elections will be fought under the leadership of Chouhan. Before that, Chouhan himself declared that the elections would be fought under his leadership and that he will again become the Chief Minister. This announcement is being regarded as the height of arrogance and was not liked by several leaders of the party and they called it the end of inner democracy.

Chief Minister, in his address at the Yatra-launching ceremony claimed that because of his efforts he succeeded in pulling out the state from the category of ‘Bimaru’ sate and in the next five years he would make Madhya Pradesh the most prosperous state of the country. This claim was pooh-poohed by opposition parties including the Congress. It was a matter of co-incidence that on the very same day, some newspapers carried the stories almost challenging Chouhan’s claim.

After the Niti Ayog report the state Planning Board was asked to make its assessment. The Planning Board found that 50 development blocks are lacking in basic amenities. Some of these blocks are predominantly tribal areas.

Recently, the BJP leaders including national Vice-President Prabhat Jha and state BJP President Rakesh Singh claimed that irrigation facilities are available for 40 lakh hectares of agricultural land. But the fact is that only 28 lakh hectare land is irrigated. According to water resources department’s report till January 2018, irrigation water could be made available to 23 lakh hectares only. If the claim of 40 lakh hectares is true then there is no reason why several districts of the state are facing drought condition. These districts, particularly from Bundelkhand area are facing acute scarcity of drinking water. Thus, it is clear that the BJP has been feeding people with exaggerated figures of development.

It is also clear that the Chief Minister, during his Yatra, which may last more than a month, will mislead people about his claim that Madhya Pradesh has ceased to be a ‘Bimaru’ state. In order to expose Chief Minister’s claim, Congress has decided to launch what it has called “Pol Khol” yatra. The Congress yatra will visit every place visited by the Chief Minister. Congress has decided to involve local leaders in its Yatra. The party feels that the local leaders have better knowledge of the state of affairs in their areas.