Madhya Pradesh cliffhanger: Mayawati's support holds key, calls MLAs to Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 11: With both the BJP and the Congress likely to fall short of the clear majority, the support of Mayawati's BSP would be the key. Madhya Pradesh assembly has 230 seats and the majority mark needed to form the government is 116.

BJP and Congress lead in 110 seats each, BSP leads in four and others in six, according to latest trends.

If these trends hold, then both the BJP and the Congress will need BSP's support to form the government. BSP supremo Mayawati has already called all her leaders who are likely to become MLAs in MP to Delhi.

Earlier, she had snubbed Congress's attempts at forging an alliance in the state ahead of the elections. Mayawati had then lashed out Congress' Digvijay Singh and said the latter does not want Congress-BSP alliance to fructify.

"BSP Supremo will decide on giving support to any party in Madhya Pradesh. As of now, BSP is leading in five seats and nearest rival in at least a dozen seats," a CNN-News 18 report quoted Madhya Pradesh BSP president Pradeep Ahirwar as saying.

The BJP led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan is eyeing a fourth straight term in office, while the Congress is hoping for a comeback in the state which was once its stronghold. The Madhya Pradesh assembly has 230 seats and the majority mark needed to form the government is 116.

In 2013, the BJP won 165 seats, up 22 from the previous poll with a 44.88% vote share. The Congress came a distant second with 58 seats down 13 from 2008 and a vote share of 36.38%.