Facing litmus test, BJP likely to change 60 per cent MLAs

NEW DELHI: Facing a strong anti-incumbency and simmering anger within the farming community, the BJP is likely to change nearly 60 per cent of its current MLAs for the crucial Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. The party top brass, sources said, is also considering fielding nearly 50 per cent of its MPs from the state in the polls.

The saffron poll managers, sources disclosed, are wary of a resurgent Congress which performed well in the recently held assembly and civic polls. The assembly polls in the state are scheduled by the end of this year, when two other BJP-ruled states — Chattisgarh and Rajasthan — will be facing the electoral battle. The coming Mungaoli and Kolaras bypolls are also seen as a prestige battle for chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The BJP has been ruling the state since 2003.

The BJP top brass, sources said, has been receiving feedback that there is a huge anti-incu-mbency against some of the sitting MLAs, including some state ministers. Recent protests by the farmers and others have suggested that though the Chouhan government has rolled out many popular schemes, yet the chief minister is facing “some degree of discontent”.

BJP chief Amit Shah had declared last year that the party would contest the poll under the leadership of Mr Chouhan, who is seeking a fourth term.  

However, the party high command has reportedly received feedback that there is a growing resentment among the party wo-rkers and leaders against their own government over issues like “inaccessible” ministers and the government’s “dependence” on the bureaucracy.

Sources disclosed that the BJP high command is keeping a watch on the coming bypolls where the CM himself has been visiting regularly.