Madhya Pradesh Assembly election results 2023 | ‘No anti-incumbency wave:’ CM Chouhan as BJP heads for big win

“Congress was preparing ladoos and congratulatory posters were put up. While we were doing our work quietly,” said Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan with Union Ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia and Narendra Singh Tomar and BJP State President V.D. Sharma, celebrating the party’s lead during counting of votes for MP Assembly elections, in Bhopal, on December 3, 2023. | Photo Credit: -

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday thanked the people of the State as the BJP headed towards a landslide victory in the elections. He said that there was no anti-incumbency wave.

The BJP will return to power in the State where it ruled for 20 years, barring a short span in 2018 when Chief Minister Kamal Nath-led Congress party was in power.

Celebrations erupted in Madhya Pradesh as the BJP crossed the majority mark comfortably.

Responding to the result, Mr. Chouhan said, "No anti-incumbency wave was there in Madhya Pradesh. There is a pro-incumbency wave in Madhya Pradesh. I thank the people of MP and promise everyone that we will fulfil our guarantees."

Dedicating his win to the Ladli Behnas and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the MP Chief Minister said, "I dedicate this win to our Ladli Behnas and PM Modi. We will take Madhya Pradesh forward on the path of progress and development."

Elections to the 230-seat Madhya Pradesh Assembly was a fight between the BJP and the Congress, which was toppled from power in 2020 with help from Jyotiraditya Scindia who defected to BJP from the Congress.

Mr. Chauhan is eyeing a possible fourth term as Chief Minister, and a celebratory mood prevailed at the party office in the state capital Bhopal. Union Minister Scindia who joined in the celebrations said the welfare schemes of Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government in the State contributed to the success of the BJP in the state.

"We knew that as far as Madhya Pradesh is concerned, given the public welfare schemes of our double engine government, people's blessings will be with us... I am confident that their blessings will be with the BJP and we will form the government with absolute majority," Mr. Scindia told reporters.

The Union Minister also took a jibe at the Congress party as he said, "Congress was preparing ladoos and congratulatory posters were put up. While we were doing our work quietly."

"Ladli Behna scheme is a game-changer and the full credit for it goes to Shivraj Singh Chouhan," Mr. Scindia said.

Mr. Chouhan relied heavily on schemes like the 'Ladli Behna Yojana' under which ₹1,250 is transferred monthly to eligible women from poor families in the State.