Madhya Pradesh bypolls: Scindia a liability rather than an asset for the BJP, say analysts

Jyotiraditya Scindia, whose defection to the BJP led to the fall of the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh, has become a liability for the BJP rather than an asset, feel MP watchers.

Scindia, who toppled the Kamal Nath government in lieu of a Rajya Sabha berth for himself and ministerial berths for loyalists in MP government, has lost his credibility and appeal in Gwalior-Chambal region, so much so that even BJP leaders in Delhi believe that the by-election should not be fought on his face.

“That is why he is missing from the posters and banners. BJP strategists – both in Delhi and Bhopal – think that even in Gwalior and Chambal region, which Scindia touts as his den, Shivraj Singh Chauhan has more acceptability,” said a Bhopal-based TV journalist on condition of anonymity.

“He is placed at third or fourth number in posters and banners behind Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Narottam Mishra in some places. His supporters feel humiliated, but they are not in a position to do anything…not even vent out their anger openly,” said the journalist.

Youth Congress leader Somil Nahta, who is handling Congress campaign for the Suasara assembly seat in Mandsaur district, says that Scindia has lost respect among his own people that he commanded when he was in the Congress.

“His proximity to the Gandhi family, his being young, legacy of his father – all gave him an advantage over others, but he destroyed all this…He is hoping to get a ministerial berth in the Modi government but that is nothing in comparison with what he got in the Congress. And no one is to be blamed for his downfall other than he himself,” said Nahata.

Spokesperson of MP Congress, KK Mishra who is handling media in Gwalior-Chambal region, said that Scindia has lost his political deposits.

Sharing a photograph of Scindia’s Gwalior palace on Dussehra, Mishra taunted that one could spot more trees than people in the palace.

Of the 28 assembly seats which will go to polls on November 3 in Madhya Pradesh, 16 fall in the Gwalior-Chambal region.

At present, Congress has a strength of 88 in the 230-member MP Assembly and needs to win all the 28 Assembly seats to gain a majority in the House to form the government.

Currently, the BJP has 107 MLAs and it needs to win just nine more seats to reach the magic figure of 116 – the simple majority mark in the 230-member house.

Though BJP is using every means to form the government, analysts believe it is not going to be a cake walk for the BJP. BJP is ready to do anything, from buying MLAs to defect and even threaten and blackmailing them, believe MP watcher.

Analysts believe that chances are high for the Congress to form a government as 4 independent MLAs, 2 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLAs and one Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA may also support the party when the need arises.