Madhya Pradesh Assembly election 2018: Pre-poll trends belie BJP's hopes

A complaint before MP Assembly election 2018 is that while CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan's integrity is above board, his ministers and legislators are not above suspicion, and nor are government employees

As Madhya Pradesh votes today in its 230 Assembly constituencies to elect its next government, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress seem set for a more keenly poised contest than thought initially. Riding on the crest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "popularity", its president Amit Shah's proven efficiency and skills in turning the most daunting elections into even fights and later victories, and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's image and success in turning the state’s agrarian story from stagnancy to success, the BJP seemed confident of retaining the state until as late as six months ago.