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Bhopal, December 2 (IANS) The result for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, where both the national parties - the Congress and BJP are engaged in a close political battle, will be announced on Sunday.
The Congress contested the election highlighting the "scams" that came to the fore for nearly two decades of BJP's rule.
The Congress leaders believe that people voted for a change and will give absolute majority to the grand-old party for a stable government.
The Congress workers guided by two veteran leaders - state unit head Kamal Nath and two-time former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh seem more confident.
Congress workers seem more confident with the fact that many of BJP's stalwarts, including the Union Ministers, have close contest against the Congress in their respective assembly constituencies.
Several BJP leaders, who have won three-four consecutive elections in the past, have faced tough contests this time.
The Congress leaders and workers said that the party will win between 130-140 seats. Their expectations are high also because the party is expecting to come out with the maximum number of seats this time in the regions where, in 2018, it was decimated to the single digit – for instance in Vindhya and Bhopal regions.
The exit polls for Madhya Pradesh that was released on November 30 has surprised not just the people associated with the BJP and Congress but common people also. The Congress leadership, however, said the 'exit poll' is an attempt by the BJP to build pressure on election officers during counting of votes.
In a video message after exit polls were released, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath claimed the "BJP has lost the election."
Appealing party workers to stay focused on their work (counting), Kamal Nath said, "Some exit polls were designed to mount pressure on the officials by creating a false impression that the BJP was returning to power. It also aims to demoralise the Congress workers before counting. But this conspiracy is not going to fructify."
On the other hand, the BJP also believes that people have voted for the developments done by the double-engine government. The BJP's expectation is higher because of the 'Ladli Behna Yojana' - a women centric cash scheme launched by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
BJP president J. P. Nadda's visit to Gwalior and offering prayers at the temple in Datia on Friday has created a buzz in the political circles.
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Chief Minister Chouhan, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra accompanied Nadda during his visit to Gwalior. There is buzz that Nadda's sudden visit ahead of the counting in Madhya Pradesh may be for a consensus on Chief Minister's post, if the BJP is voted to power on December 3.
