The din and bustle of poll campaigning fell silent in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday evening after last-minute attempts to woo the voters by principal contenders for power — Congress and BJP — in the most acrimonious Assembly elections in recent times in which 2171 candidates are in the fray.
Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, fighting the toughest battle of his political career, campaigned in the Gwalior-Chambal sector and his arch rival Uma Bharti of BJP in the crucial Malwa region, which holds the key to the formation of the next government.
With stakes high for both BJP and congress, the two sides fielded several of their stalwarts in the fortnight long campaigning with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Congress president Sonia Gandhi leading the propaganda offensive of the two parties.
BSP president Mayawati and Samajwadi Party leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav also toured extensively, especially in areas neighbouring Uttar Pradesh in a tussle for the third slot.
With development emerging as the campaign theme, issues of power crisis and bad roads dominated the canvassing and BJP targeted Digvijay for the state of affairs dubbing him as Mr disaster.
The chief minister, fighting with his back to the wall, blamed the Centre's step-motherly treatment and carving of the separate Chattisgarhh from Madhya Pradesh for the twin problems.
{{/usCountry}}The chief minister, fighting with his back to the wall, blamed the Centre's step-motherly treatment and carving of the separate Chattisgarhh from Madhya Pradesh for the twin problems.
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