Amit Shah's Strategy-Defining Meet In Telangana To Priyanka Gandhi's Poll Bugle In Madhya Pradesh: The Week Ahead

From Amit Shah's strategy-defining Telangana visit for the upcoming polls to Priyanka Gandhi beginning Congress's campaign in MP. Here's what Lies in The Week Ahead.

From Amit Shah's strategy-defining Telangana visit for the upcoming polls to Priyanka Gandhi beginning Congress's campaign in MP. Here's what Lies in The Week Ahead. ( Image Source :PTI )

Bolstered by its win in Karnataka, the Congress is now gearing up for the upcoming polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, and Telangana. The BJP, too, is hoping to make a mark in the south this year with a win in Telangana. However, both the parties will have to face KCR's relentless attack as the Telangana CM launches a two-pronged attack.

Meanwhile, the Opposition is gearing up for the mega meet on June 23 in Patna convened by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. Although with much effort, Kumar has been able to bring most of the Opposition parties on a common platform, it remains to be seen whether the strategy works out and if the Opposition agrees on a common Prime Ministerial candidate. In what can be seen as a big move, the JD(U) has stated that Kumar will not be fighting for the PM's post.

By opting out at the very outset, Kumar has played the ball in the other parties' court and sent a signal that only a leader that can give up personal ambitions, can lead the Opposition. He will have an upper hand in any scenario from here as he can definitely become the kingmaker or even become the Prime Ministerial candidate if a majority of the parties insist.

Stay with ABP Live as we try to cut the clutter around the latest news from the political arena and help you understand what is likely to happen in The Week Ahead. Here are the biggest political developments expected to play out this week.

PRIYANKA GANDHI TO KICK-OFF CONGRESS'S MADHYA PRADESH POLL CAMPAIGN

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is set to kick off the party's campaign for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls in Jabalpur. Her campaign will begin with a prayer along the banks of the Narmada river.

Jabalpur holds significant importance as it is located in the Mahakoshal region of the state, which has a sizable tribal population. In the previous Assembly polls in 2018, the Congress secured victory in 11 out of the 13 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes in the eight-district division, while the Bharatiya Janata Party won the remaining two.

Explaining the choice of Jabalpur for the campaign launch, Vivek Tankha, a Congress Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh, said that the rally in the Mahakoshal region would benefit the party in the neighbouring Vindh and Bundelkhand areas. He also said the presence of a significant tribal voter base in Mahakoshal.

The Congress's success in the Mahakoshal region in 2018 allowed it to form a government in Madhya Pradesh under Kamal Nath. However, the government fell in March 2020 after MLAs loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia defected to the BJP.

ALL-PARTY MEETING ON JUNE 13 AMID PANCHAYAT POLL VIOLENCE IN WEST BENGAL

West Bengal with its unenviable history of poll-related violence will go to polls on July 8. Ahead of the elections, the State Election Competition has convened an all-party meeting on June 13 to discuss the law and order situation in the state. In the run-up to the elections, Bengal has seen allegations of several incidents of violence.

While the Opposition — comprising the BJP, the Congress, and the CPI(M) — has alleged that the ruling "Trinamool Congress's goons" prevented their candidates from filing nominations using force. The TMC, on the other hand, rubbished the claim and said that these were falsehoods spread by the Opposition as they did not have "rural support".

This is not the first time that poll-related violence is being reported from West Bengal. In 2021, after the assembly election results revealed that TMC would return to power, violence broke out across the state. Similar violence was also seen even during the election. While the incumbent Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress blamed the BJP for the law & order incidents, the Opposition accused the ruling party of effecting "retribution" on their workers for going against it.

As the nomination deadline of June 15 closes in, it remains to be seen whether the SEC's meeting prevents further law & order incidents, or claims thereof, in Bengal during polls. The SEC's evaluation and action on the situation would go a long way till the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

AMIT SHAH'S KEY RALLY IN TELANGANA AHEAD OF ASSEMBLY POLLS

The BJP unit in Telangana would be under pressure this week to make Union Home Minister Amit Shah's poll rally in Khammam on June 15 a success. With the ruling BRS aiming for another term in the assembly, the BJP is looking to wrest power from it by positioning itself as an alternative.

After the loss in Karnataka, the Telangana Assembly election, which is slated to take place by December, will be extremely important for BJP. Every poll hereon will be evaluated to reflect the party's chances of coming back to power in the Centre in 2024 for a third term.

Amit Shah's visit this week will also set the tone for the party's approach in the run up to the polls. The party is now understood to be undecided on a strategy to push for. While a segment of the saffron party under state party president Bandi Sanjay is advocating a strong Hindutva push, another is pushing for a strengthened attack on CM KCR himself and highlighting local issues. 

The BJP's hardline Hindutva strategy failed in Karnataka. On the other hand, Congress's regional connect, combined with a sense of anti-incumbency and a sustained campaign against corruption in the state, help it win in Karnataka. 

Telangana CM KCR has already opened a two-pronged attack against the Congress and the BJP. On one hand, he has accused the BJP of failing to bring any change in the country, on the other, KCR blamed the Congress for "ignoring" development works in Telangana during its tenure.

KCR is also keeping the BRS away from the Congress by declining to join the Opposition's mega meet in Patna on June 23. KCR has intensified his stand against the Congress after the Karnataka result.

Stay tuned to ABP Live as we track the updates on these stories and more.