BJP Claims ‘Lotus’ is Party’s Face for Every Election Amid Speculation Over Chief Ministerial Face in Madhya Pradesh
In the midst of the ongoing debates and speculations surrounding the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal, has stated that the ‘lotus’ symbolizes his party’s face in every election. The ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh has been under scrutiny as it fields prominent leaders, including Union Ministers, as candidates for the MP Assembly polls, which has further fueled discussions about their chief ministerial candidate.
When asked about the BJP’s chief ministerial face in Madhya Pradesh, Goyal responded to reporters in Neemuch, saying, “Lotus is our face in every election. Lotus is revered by all of us. We go among the people with lotus.” Goyal emphasized that all BJP members are working towards making India a developed country and expressed confidence in his party’s victory in the upcoming polls. He highlighted their commitment to bring joy, enthusiasm, and fulfill the aspirations of every Indian, while focusing on the welfare of the poor and good governance.
The recent remarks made by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, have prompted opposition party Congress to claim that he is attempting to put pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after being sidelined. During a gathering in Dindori, Chouhan asked the public whether the government he is running can be considered good or bad. He further posed the question, “Should ‘Mama’ (maternal uncle, as he is popularly called) become chief minister or not?” Congress general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, while addressing a public meeting in Madhya Pradesh on October 5, commented that Chouhan would not secure the top post after the elections. In response, MP Congress chief, Kamal Nath, accused Chouhan of trying to exert pressure on PM Modi.
Gopal Bhargava, an eight-term MLA and senior state cabinet minister, expressed his belief that no one was being projected as the chief minister candidate for this election. Speaking at a gathering in his constituency Rehli, he stated, “It is not being told who will be the chief minister….I felt he (his Guru) must have some wish, that the word has come from God.”
Chouhan, the longest-serving chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, has been displaying emotional behavior during public events and rallies as of late. During an event held in Budhni, his home-turf, he asked the people whether he should contest the election or not, and even informed women at a rally that they would miss a “brother” like him when he is not around.
Thus far, the BJP has declared candidates for 79 out of the total 230 assembly seats in the state. The list includes Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Patel, and Faggan Singh Kulaste, as well as senior leader from Indore, Kailash Vijayvargiya, all of whom are seen as contenders for the chief minister’s post. Vijayvargiya recently stated that he is contesting the election not just to become an MLA, but because the party will assign him some important responsibility.
In the 2018 MP assembly polls, the Congress emerged as the majority with 114 seats in the 230-member House, while the BJP secured 109 seats. The Congress formed a coalition government under Kamal Nath’s leadership with the support of the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, and independent candidates. However, the Nath government collapsed after 15 months when a section of Congress MLAs, most of them loyal to Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, defected and joined the BJP. The saffron party made a comeback in March 2020, with Shivraj Singh Chouhan once again assuming the role of Chief Minister.