Madhya Pradesh elections: BJP launches 'prosperous MP' campaign

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar flagged off the chariots, fitted with LED screens, sound systems and other equipment, from the state BJP headquarters in the state capital. The chariots will comb all the 230 assembly constituencies in the next 15 days during which they would travel to at least 20 places in every segment.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan with Union MInister Narendra Singh Tomar, State BJP President Rakesh Singh and other leaders flag off the hightech Election Campaign Rath at State Party Headquarter, in Bhopal. PTI Photo

BHOPAL: In a bid to reach out to masses in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, the BJP Sunday launched 'Samriddh (Prosperous) Madhya Pradesh' campaign from here by flagging off 50 hi-tech vehicles designed as chariots. The mass outreach programme is aimed at preparing 'Drishti Patra' or a vision document for the next month's polls on the basis of suggestions received from the common people, a party leader said.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar flagged off the chariots, fitted with LED screens, sound systems and other equipment, from the state BJP headquarters in the state capital. The chariots will comb all the 230 assembly constituencies in the next 15 days during which they would travel to at least 20 places in every segment. The BJP has also released a phone number on which the suggestions can be forwarded either through WhatsApp, SMSes or by making a phone call. Speaking at the launch function, Chouhan said his government had modelled various welfare schemes on the basis of feedback received from the common people. "Because of this, we have decided to prepare a roadmap of a prosperous Madhya Pradesh on the basis of suggestions of the 7.5-crore people of the state," he said. The chief minister attacked the Congress for its "misrule" of the past. "During the rule of the Congress (before 2013), people were forced to take temporary roads in their farmland for travelling instead of the main roads which were almost non-existent then. People had to spend nights on roads during summer season due to power cuts," he said. The CM also accused the Congress of pushing Madhya Pradesh into poverty through its policies. "Every sector, including the education and irrigation, was in a bad shape at that time because of the Congress which had pushed this state into BIMARU category. "We (the BJP government) lifted Madhya Pradesh from that category and turned it into a 'Sucharu' (smoothly run) and viksit (developed) state," he said. BIMARU is an acronym for states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh grouped into the category in the past for their poor economic condition. Chouhan said Madhya Pradesh will become a prosperous state in the next five years, if the BJP gets the popular mandate for another term. Madhya Pradesh will go to polls on November 28. Counting of votes will take place on December 11. Meanwhile, the state Congress unit has sought the Election Commission's intervention to stop the "Samriddha Madhya Pradesh Abhiyan", which the party said is a violation of model code of conduct. "This is time for the BJP to give an account of its work. Instead of doing that, they are luring the people with false promises and are misleading them by seeking suggestions and ideas, which is prohibited under the poll code. We have filed a complaint with the EC," said state Congress spokesman Narendra Saluja. Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Assembly Ajay Singh also dismissed the campaign as a gimmick. "The chief minister is trying to sell false dreams to the people fearing defeat in polls, which is imminent. This campaign is aimed at deceiving the common people," Singh alleged. Meanwhile, in an embarrassment to the BJP, a portrait of former prime minister and BJP patriarch (late) Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not put up at the launch function held at its headquarters. When asked about this, BJP senior leader Prabhat Jha tried to play down the incident and said, "Vajpayee ji is in the heart of every person of the state. So, this incident should not be misinterpreted".