Though the recently concluded assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh did not witness a change of guard, the outcome did highlight a change in the nearest rival factor.

The BJP, which won 143 seats and sustained a loss of 30 seats, was runner up in 70 assembly constituencies as compared to 43 seats in the previous polls in December 2003 when it had emerged victorious in 173 assembly segments.

The Congress was the nearest rivals in 125 constituencies and won 71 seats thereby gaining 30 seats. During the 2003 assembly elections, Congress was runner up in 153 seats and had won only 38 seats.

Meanwhile, the Bahujan Samaj Party emerged as the nearest rival in 19 seats and won in seven assembly segments while in the 2003 assembly elections it was runner up in 16 seats and won just 2 seats.

The Samajwadi Party fared poorly as it emerged as the nearest rival and victor in just one seat as compared to the previous polls when it was runner up in seven seats and won 8 seats.

Uma Bharti's Bharatiya Janshakti Party which contested its first assembly elections was runner up in seven assembly constituencies and registered victories in five seats.