Cong debacle in MP, Chhattisgarh 6 months after Assembly win

The Congress failed to capitalise on Assembly poll victories in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh barely six month ago, as the BJP made almost a clean sweep in the two states Thursday. In Madhya Pradesh, which has 29 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP won 25 and was leading in 3 seats as of 11.30 pm. The Congress was leading one one seat.

In Chhattisgarh, the BJP won nine and the Congress bagged the remaining two Lok Sabha seats. The BJP victory in MP is expected to spell trouble for the Kamal Nath government. Senior BJP leaders have claimed that the government will topple if they challenge it but they preferred to wait till the national elections are over.

Earlier this week, claiming the Congress government is in minority, the BJP had asked Governor Anandiben Patel to convene the state assembly, presumably for a test of strength. In Chhattisgarh, the BJP had bagged 10 seats and the Congress one in the 2014 general elections. The Congress had won the state Assembly elections late last year by dislodging the BJP from power.