- 17 elections, including two by-elections, have been held so far in Garoth Assembly constituency
- Margin of victory comes down from 25 thousand to 2100 in 2018
Mukesh Maihar, Garoth,
Madhya Pradesh Assembly Constituency No. 227 Garoth-Bhanpura has been the stronghold of Jansangh and today’s BJP. So far, 17 elections have been held here, including two by-elections, out of which Jansangh BJP won 11 times and Congress party won 6 times. BJP has been winning the last three elections, including the by-election of 2015. Even though BJP has been winning in three consecutive elections, in 2013, BJP’s Rajesh Yadav had won by 25 thousand 775 votes.
His untimely demise in 2015 left the seat vacant and a by-election was held. The government in the state was of BJP. The entire government got busy in the elections and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan himself visited dozens of villages and rested at Bhanpura for the night. Even though BJP won, the margin was reduced to half. BJP won this by-election by about 12 thousand votes. Meaning, in two years the victory margin decreased by 13 thousand, BJP’s victory margin in the 2018 general elections remained only 2108 and that too because of the 18 thousand votes received by the rebel Congress candidate. Meaning, BJP’s graph in this area has declined rapidly in ten years.
It is noteworthy that in these three elections, BJP changed its candidates every time and Congress did not change its candidate. Former minister Subhash Sojatiya is the only one in the fray. Congress’s non-win and BJP’s declining graph is a matter of concern for both the parties. The factionalism between the two parties is at its peak and is deepening. One can see more interest in the defeat of one’s own party rival rather than in defeating the candidate of the opposing party and this is not a good sign for both the parties. Right now opinion polling is going on in both the parties. Observers are coming but their power is being displayed in front of them as if they are competing with the opposing party. BJP’s graph continuously falling and Congress not winning despite increasing votes, all these are the results of factionalism. If the high command of both the parties does not control this in time, then the result can be anything. In the race to get tickets, demonstrations are being taken to extreme limits. Loyal and dedicated leaders and workers are constantly being marginalized in both the parties.
There are a large number of contenders in both the parties, but in BJP this number is around two dozen and in Congress this figure is half a dozen. Hundreds of flexes linking with these claimants have been installed in the entire assembly constituency. All public places are filled with these posters and flex to congratulate every festival. Those who have never contested the election of five councilors or did not win even if they did contest, are also claiming to contest the assembly elections of 2,50 lakh voters. Social media platforms are filled with messages from these claimants. These claimants can be seen participating in the joys and sorrows of the voters of the area. Bhagwat Katha, Shiv Puran Katha, Sundar Kand are running on behalf of these claimants. Whom both the parties make as their candidate, after that the equations will change, but no matter what happens, it is not easy to choose a candidate and then win. To win, the unity of the unanimously agreed candidate and leaders and a good image in the public mind will become the basis.
