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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Tough electoral battle ahead for BJP in Malwa region
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Tough electoral battle ahead for BJP in Malwa region

Politically, the region is significant because it is the religious capital of Madhya Pradesh, home to the ancient holy town of Ujjain

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is facing the anger of the business community in Indore, a city that has been showcased as a potential hub for the information technology industry. Photo: Shankar MouryaPremium
Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is facing the anger of the business community in Indore, a city that has been showcased as a potential hub for the information technology industry. Photo: Shankar Mourya

Dhar/Dewas, Madhya Pradesh: When Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan visited an assembly constituency in Indore on 16 November, he categorically told supporters at a public meeting that his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was not going to win the seat in the 25 November elections.

But he did not want them to give up the fight. “The BJP has been in power in the state for the last 10 years and I have been chief minister for the last eight years. If people want a BJP government for a third consecutive term then you must elect MLAs (members of legislative assembly). Do you want to see me as the chief minister again? I will not be chief minister till the time our MLAs don’t win," Chouhan said.

Indore is the main district as well as city in Malwa, a region of 1.41 crore people (2011 Census data) that lies in western Madhya Pradesh. It is also the state’s business capital. Indore and Dhar districts are being developed as industrial corridors of Madhya Pradesh.

Politically, the region is significant because it is the religious capital of Madhya Pradesh, home to the ancient holy town of Ujjain.

With eight districts accounting for 37 seats in the 230-member assembly, Malwa is electorally important to Chouhan’s come-back bid—particularly because the region has long been a stronghold of the BJP.

But Chouhan has reasons to worry: Most voters in the region speak of their disenchantment with sitting legislators.

The BJP has 143 MLAs in the state assembly, including 26 from Malwa. Both the BJP and the main opposition Congress party are contesting all 37 seats. And both face the ire of the voter.

Tukojirao Panwar is the BJP candidate for the past several terms but I have never seen him meeting the residents of this area. He continues to win because he is from the erstwhile royal family of Dewas and people vote for him," said 22-year-old Aditya Chouhan, who is a first-time voter and a third year student in SKP college in Dewas.

“The roads are bad and there is electricity problem but we have no option," he added.

Aditya could be speaking for nearly half of Madhya Pradesh—around 49% of the electorate are 18-35 years old.

The same resentment was echoed against BJP MLA in Dhar, Neena Verma—the wife of senior BJP leader Vikram Verma, a cabinet minister in the erstwhile National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

“We are very annoyed with the BJP candidate," said Vijay Patil, a shop owner. “She has access to the government because her husband is a former minister in Madhya Pradesh and the Centre. Still roads all over the town are in a poor condition."

Also in the line of fire is the Congress, which won 71 seats with a 32% vote share in 2008.

“People are unhappy with the Congress’ MLA Ashwin Joshi because we don’t see him often," said 39-year-old Nizam Ali, who runs a stationery shop at the busy Chawani Chouraha area in Indore.

Chief minister Chouhan is also facing the anger of the business community in Indore, a city that has been showcased as a potential hub for the information technology industry.

Indore’s sprawling Pithampur industrial area is home to 650 industrial units, of which 130 are large and medium sized, employing around 70,000 people, said Gautam Kothari, president of the Pithampur Adhyogik Sanghatan.

But the business community is clearly unhappy with the state government over the lack of roads and power.

“We have written at least 10-12 letters to the chief minister for better power and road facilities. We have met him also several times but the rising power tariffs are a major concern," said Kothari.

Indore is also where campuses of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) are located. The state government claims software companies Infosys Ltd and Tata Consultancy Services Ltd will soon set up offices in Indore. The development of industries in Indore and Dhar, it says, will create more job opportunities in the state.

But Jayanti Lal Bhandari, an Indore-based economist, believes that neither the state nor the city is prepared to meet the challenges of infrastructure.

“Infrastructure facilities have improved but the larger question is, is it enough? People from different parts of the country are coming to Indore because of its many companies and because the industrial corridor is being built. But the city is not ready. There are residential problems which need to be addressed," said Bhandari.

The chief minister, acknowledging that power shortages and increasing power tariffs are major concerns raised by the people in the industrial belt, has promised action if the BJP comes to power.

“Madhya Pradesh has 10,600 megawatt power now but it will go up to 14,000 MW in the next two years. In five years’ time we will have 18,000 MW. I am told about the problem of power and power tariffs but people shouldn’t be worried because we will solve it," Chouhan told a campaign rally in Indore.

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Published: 22 Nov 2013, 12:33 AM IST
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