Bhopal: The ensuing Rajya Sabha polls is poised to be a trial of strength between ruling Congress and opposition BJP. The election to third berth in Rajya Sabha elections has a crucial bearing on the fate of Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh. While the change of guard has recently taken place in Madhya Pradesh unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the saffron party seems aggressive. However, the intentions of the BJP high command would be clear in the Rajya Sabha elections.
Three Madhya Pradesh quota seats, held by Digvijay Singh, Prabhat Jha and Satyanarayan Jatiya, are going vacant in April 2020. Going with the numbers, one berth each to BJP and Congress is certain, but the biggest question is whether the BJP would make any attempt to reach the desired figure of 57 votes (for winning one seat), by harnessing Congress and independent members of the State Assembly? For gaining the second seat, the ruling Congress would require only one vote (of legislator), while the BJP would need nine votes.
With the appointment of VD Sharma as new BJP chief in Madhya Pradesh, the high command did charge the party that was defunct since Congress came to power in December 2018. However, on the other hand, the party is facing problems in the State assembly, due to non-aggressive Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargav. In past 14 months, he could not leave any impact on the party legislators.
Political observers feel that it would be quite difficult for the BJP to get eight votes in the present equation of numbers in the assembly. On the contrary, BJP should fear saving its castle. In the past too, during the division of votes in favour of a Bill, BJP’s two members Sharad Kol and Narayan Tripathi had voted in favour of the ruling party.
Since, the BJP had not issued any whip in this regard, no action was taken against them. One of them, Narayan Tripathi had later appeared before media persons along with Chief Minister Kamal Nath and openly expressed his wishes to remain with Nath.
If The Congress manages to get both the Rajya Sabha seats, Chief Minister Kamal Nath would emerge as strong leader once again and the new PCC Chief would be of his choice undoubtedly.
