BHOPAL: For the first time in 14 years, the ruling BJP’s victory run in Madhya Pradesh received a severe jolt on Saturday with the urban civic poll results. Out of six municipalities (nagar palika) in the fray including the bigger towns of Dhar and Badwani, BJP lost four to the Congress – a development that is unprecedented since 2003. In the 13 other town council (nagar parishad) polls, BJP won seven and Congress secured five.

Town council of Jaithari in Anuppur district went to an independent, supported by the Congress. Out of total 20 local bodies spread over six districts for which elections were held on January 17, ruling BJP prevailed in nine and the Congress won nine showing a neck-and-neck fight and the latter gaining ground in the major urban areas so far considered bastions of the ruling party. Counting for Semaria town council in Rewa district was stalled after a court order.

Congress was jubilant and enthused but celebrations were not permitted showing respect to party leader and former Speaker Shriniwas Tiwari who passed away in New Delhi on Friday. “The BJP was calling these civic polls the quarter final before the November assembly elections. Results of the quarter finals indicate that Congress will form government in the next assembly elections,” said state Congress president Arun Yadav .

“We thank the people and dedicated Congress workers in these areas who made these encouraging results possible. The so-called magic of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been dismantled and Congress is ready to take the challenge of Mungaoli – Kolaras bypolls and the year-end assembly elections,” Yadav added.

Five years ago, the BJP won 13 of these civic bodies comprising the municipalities of Badwani, Dhar, Raghogarh, Sendhwa, Manawar and Pithampur and the Congress was curtailed to seven town councils.

On Saturday, much of this reversed as Congress after a gap of 45 years wrested Manawar municipality in Dhar district from the BJP. Manawar voted for the BJP even during Congress regime and Saturday’s result took political leaders of both parties by surprise. Congress candidate for Manawar municipality chairperson Sangeeta Shivram Patidar beat the BJP’s Manu Shivram Patidar by a margin of 314 votes.

Sangeeta Patidar polled a total 5,787 votes and Congress won eight wards and BJP seven.

AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh is still walking the Narmada Yatra and remained absent from the campaign in Raghogarh. His son and MLA Jaivardhan Singh led the Congress here for Raghogarh-Vijaypur municipality elections and BJP was reduced to just three wards while Congress in a total sweep grabbed 21 of the total 24 wards. Congress chairperson candidate, Aarti Sharma, won by a margin of 5,672 votes.

Badwani saw the Congress win in 13 wards and BJP trailing with 11. Congress’ chairman candidate Laxman Singh Chouhan received 15,140 votes while BJP’s candidate and four times MLA Prem Singh Patel got 12,542 votes. Congress also won Dhar where chairman candidate Parvat Singh Chouhan defeated the BJP candidate by 422 votes. Congress defeated BJP in Sardarpur, Rajgarh and Dharampuri town councils in Dhar district along with Anjar and Rajpur in Badwani.

BJP retained Pithampur where its chairperson candidate Kavita Sanjay Vaishnav won by a margin of 6003 votes over her nearest Congress rival Munnibai. BJP wrested the Omkareshwar town council from the Congress. BJP chairman candidate Antar Singh Barre defeated Congress’ Daulat Singh Parihar by a margin of 1,622 votes. BJP won 12 out of the 15 wards in this temple town.

Speaking to reporters Antar Singh Barre attributed the victory to chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan saying that his announcement to develop Omkareshwar as a religious tourism site won the hearts of voters. BJP also won Dhamnod, Kukshi and Dahi town councils in Dhar district with Pansemal, Khetia and Palsud in Badwani.

