BJP upbeat as Cong loses tribal bastions in local body polls

Bhopal, Jul 13: The ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh is in an upbeat mood after emerging victorious at majority of the seats in the recent local bodies elections in tribal areas by virtually decimating the main Opposition Congress even in its strongholds.

To add to the woes of Congress, the BJP also wrested five Assembly seats in the bypolls (held from time-to-time from 2008 till June, 2012) which is giving the party leaders sleepless nights even as it aims to make a good show in the 2013 general elections in the state. "Both Chhindwara and Jhabua are Congress strongholds and any defeat in these seats is not a good sign for the Congress which is desperately working on its Mission-2013 to get back to power. The party has remained out of power in the state since 2003," a senior Congress leader told PTI on condition of anonymity.

Ironically, Congress could not win even in places like Jhabua and Chhindwara represented by State Congress president Kantilal Bhuria and high profile Union Minister Kamal Nath, respectively. What has boosted the BJP's confidence all the more is that besides these two, the party also won in the traditional Congress bastions of Mandla and Dhar.

Congress came a poor third even from ward no.12 (Gopal Colony area) where Bhuria resides in Jhabua town. Terming the success in Congress-dominated tribal areas as a victory of BJP's ideology, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said it was a sign of people's support to the development done by the party over politics of allegations.

"People want development and have voted for it. They are not interested in allegations and counter-allegations," Chouhan said apparently referring to the Congress Party's campaign which targeted the ruling BJP.

PTI