MP election: Congress bets on Digvijaya to breach BJP's bastions in polls

2023 Madhya Pradesh Assembly election: Digvijaya Singh's poll strategy entails boosting public outreach, engaging with all segments of society, ensuring better coordination among party workers

Madhya Pradesh's former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh has been handed responsibility for the 66 assembly seats considered safe bets for the BJP, as the Congress bets on its senior-most leader in the state to breach the ruling party's bastions in upcoming polls, reported Economic Times (ET) citing sources.

Singh will be in charge of forming the party's strategy for winning these seats in Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections, which include the constituency of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other ministers.

According to the report, Singh has visited all of these seats and held freewheeling conversations with local party activists, listening to their problems and grievances, sources said, adding that he plans to revisit these assembly segments.

Digvijaya Singh's strategy entails boosting public outreach, engaging with all segments of society, ensuring better coordination among party workers, making necessary adjustments based on local requirements and, above all, staying positive in order to put up a spirited fight, said party leaders.

Also Read: BJP to hold CEC meeting tomorrow to review preparations for upcoming polls

Among these 66 segments are those currently held by ministers like Yashodhara Raje Scindia, who has Shivpuri, Gopal Bhargava (Rehti seat), Bhupendra Singh (Khuri) and Rajvardhan Singh Dattigaon (Badnawar). The list also includes Mungaoli, Shivpuri, Guna, Ujjain North, Ujjain South, Ashoknagar, Sagar, Jabalpur Cantt, Khandwa, Sanchi and others.

Earlier in April, Digvijaya Singh had claimed that the Congress party would form the next government in Madhya Pradesh by winning more than 116 of 230 seats, and Kamal Nath will be the chief ministerial face.

"We need 116 seats to form a government. We are going to get more than 116 seats. The party face will be Kamal Nath," he said.

Kamal Nath currently heads the Madhya Pradesh Congress unit.

The 2018 elections in Madhya Pradesh threw up a hung assembly, with the Congress emerging as the largest party winning 114 seats in the 230-member House, while the BJP won 109 seats. However, the BJP got 41.02 per cent votes against the Congress' 40.89 per cent. 

Also Read: BSP releases first list of candidates for Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections

The Congress formed a government under Kamal Nath, but it fell in March 2020 when MLAs loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia revolted, paving the way for the return of Shivraj Singh Chouhan as chief minister.