After a 24-hour-long nail-biting contest, the Congress on Wednesday, 12 December emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh by securing a victory in 114 seats, falling two seats short of the majority mark. The BJP trailed at 109.
A party needs to win in 116 constituencies to form a government in the 230-seat Assembly.
The BSP on Wednesday said that it will lend support to Congress in the state to form the government and help reach the majority mark.
Congress leader Kamal Nath had written to Governor Anandiben Patel on Tuesday, 11 December, staking claim to form the government.
Incumbent Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has retained his constituency, Budhni, by a margin of 58,999 votes.
- Votes were cast on 28 November with over 74 percent voter turnout
- The BJP contested from all 230 seats, while the Congress had fielded 229 candidates, leaving one seat of Jatara for its ally LJD
- The state has 5,04,95,251 voters – 2,63,01,300 males, 2,41,30,390 females, 1,389 third gender and 62,172 postal electors
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BJP, Congress Get a Neck and Neck Vote Share
According to the EC website, the BJP got a vote share of 41% while the Congress got 40.9%. The BSP, expected to be the kingmaker for Congress, got a vote share of 5% while the Samjwadi Party got a vote share of 1.3%.
Counting Concludes: Congress Wins 114 Seats, 2 Short of Majority Mark
Counting for 230 seats in Madhya Pradesh concluded on Wednesday morning, with the Congress winning 114 seats and the BJP settling for 109. The BSP won 2 seats while the Samajwadi Party retained 1. Independent candidates also claimed 4 seats in the state Assembly.
Jyotiraditya Scindia Congratulates Congress Workers
Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday, 12 December, tweeted to congratulate the Congress party workers for winning the polls in Chhattisgarh.
Meanwhile, Congress' Shobha Oza told ANI: "We are the largest party, we have won 113 seats. We will form the government with an absolute majority."
Independent Candidates Have Assured Support, We Have Clear Majority: Congress
Congress’ Kamal Nath early on Wednesday, 12 December, said that they have secured the support of Independent candidates and claimed that the party has clear majority in the state.
He was accompanied by senior leaders Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia and Digvijaya Singh at the late night press conference.
“With utmost happiness, I wish to inform you that Congress has won clear majority. We have written a letter to the governor to invite us so that we can prove our majority before her,” Nath said, as per ANI.