Bhopal: The high-octane election campaign, packed with personal attacks, bitter allegations and tall promises, came to an end in Madhya Pradesh on Monday.
The ruling BJP went all out to stave off anti-incumbency after 15 years of rule while the Congress has mounted a strong challenge to storm to power in the state.
The BJP charge in the state was led primarily by CM Shivraj and PM Narendra Modi. Party chief Amit Shah, Home minister Rajnath Singh, UP CM Yogi Adityanath and others too held public rallies to bolster party prospects. On the other hand, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was the crowd puller for the party, which also banked on leaders like Kamal Nath, Digvijaya Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia to pull in voters.
Since 5pm on Monday, all public meetings, road shows, rallies and electioneering of any form, including that on social media, has been barred, said MP Chief Electoral Officer VL Kanta Rao. Though the candidates are free to contact voters through door-to-door campaign, he added.
“Shame on Congress, its leaders feel shame chanting Bharat Mata ki Jai,” said BJP president Amit Shah in an election rally in Kukshi in Dhar. For BJP, the safety of ‘Bharat Mata’ is of topmost priority, he added.
When you cast your vote on Nov 28, please do remember the rule of ‘Bantadhar (Digvijaya Singh)’, said Shah slamming UPA for only provisioning Rs 830 cr for tribals while the BJP government increased the budget allocation to Rs 23,000 cr.
“They (Congress) don’t give an account of their rule of four generations while they seek details of our 4.5 years or rule,” said the BJP chief, who concluded his campaign at a roadshow in Indore along with party seniors.
CM Shivraj, who conducted 126 election rallies, maximum among all campaigners in MP, drew curtains on his campaign with a public meeting in Huzur assembly constituency in Bhopal. In 2008 and 2013 as well, Chouhan had opted for this seat to finish his election campaign.
Mocking congress leaders for making tall promises, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said he has fulfilled all the promises he made.
Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh, Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia also addressed election rallies on the last day of campaigning. Bollywood stars Sunil Shetty and Amisha Patel too campaigned on the last day. Former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav also addressed rallies in Chhatarpur.
The liquor sale has been banned for the next 48 hours.
Out of 65,000 polling booths in MP, 17,000 have been identified as ‘critical’ and measures like CCTV cameras, videography, webcasting, micro observers and central para-military forces would be deployed at these booths to ensure free and fair polling,” Rao said.
“The commission has deployed 1.80 lakh police personnel and three lakh government staff in poll duty, including 4500 women staff, and there would be 2000 booths handled by all women staff and 160 booths that would be governed by specially-abled staffers with their prior consent,” said the CEO.
The commission has confiscated valuables worth Rs 68 crore including 29 cr cash, 13 cr of illegal liquor and drugs valued at Rs 5.5 cr. As many as 2,088 FIRs were lodged by the Commission over violation of various acts during the campaigning.
The polling will take place on Nov 28 and results would be declared on Dec 11.
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