The counting of votes in Madhya Pradesh has concluded. Congress party has emerged the largest party in the state with 114 seats, which is two short of the majority. The BJP, which gave a close fight to the Congress despite anti-incumbency, has won 109 seats. Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party or the BSP has won two seats.
The BJP gave a close fight to the BJP despite a strong anti-incumbency against Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was looking for a record fourth term. Sensing victory, the Congress has begun contacting leaders of small parties and also independents for mustering a simple majority, party sources said on Tuesday.
Congress leaders have opened backchannel talks with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) and independents who are leading, the sources said.
Kamal Nath, a master strategist, is taking no chances and has opened talks with Mayawati's BSP. Mayawati's party is leading at two places while SP is ahead in two constituencies.
Mayawati, who had snubbed the Congress before the polls and refused to tie-up in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, is believed to have called her winning party lawmakers for a meeting in Delhi.
The election was held in Madhya Pradesh on November 28 and 75% of the state's 5.03 crore voters exercised their franchise, with around 1.64 lakh people having voted on an average in each constituency.
In 2013 polls, BJP had won 165 seats while Congress and BSP got 58 and 4. Three independent MLAs also won the polls.
Exit polls have projected a close contest for both the BJP and Congress. Some exit polls have given an edge to the Congress, while others have predicted a close finish for the grand old party and the ruling BJP.
