Ahead of the Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly elections, the Congress Election Campaign Committee meeting was held at the residence of state Congress President Kamal Nath here in the state capital, Bhopal, on Wednesday night.

Former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh while speaking to the media after the meeting said, “We will fight and we will unite.”

Detailing about the meeting, former state minister Kamleshwar Patel said that there was a discussion on the strategy to be adopted for the upcoming state polls in the meeting.
“Our strategy is to take the issue of corruption and misgovernance by the BJP government to the public. This government has cheated the farmers, women and labourers,” he said while attacking the ruling BJP government in the state.

Commenting on the Neemuch incident where stone pelting took place in the BJP’s Jan Ashirwad Yatra, Patel said, “This is the work of BJP only. There is anger among people about inflation and corruption. Making allegations has become the nature of BJP.”
Former Union Minister Kantilal Bhuria, who was also present in the meeting, said that the Election Campaign Committee meeting will be held on Thursday as well and tickets might be distributed to candidates from September 20 to 25.

“Randeep Surjewala (Congress Rajya Sabha MP) spoke about every area. We also discussed our future strategy. The Election Campaign Committee meeting will be held tomorrow as well. Tickets can be issued between September 20 to 25,” Bhuria said.

Speaking on the Neemuch stone-pelting incident, the former Union Minister said, “BJP itself has got stone pelting done in Neemuch. They are blaming Congress. Only people from the BJP and the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) take the name of the Congress. The Congress does not throw stones at anyone.”

General Secretary of Madhya Pradesh Congress Omkar Singh Markam said that in the meeting there was a discussion on saving the state and the country from the BJP.
“There was a discussion on saving the state and country from BJP’s conspiracy…The BJP makes all kinds of pretence to remain in power,” Markam said.

Speaking on the India versus Bharat controversy which has created a stir in the political circles, Markam said, “The word India is in our heartbeat. The BJP speaks for their selfishness and greed…Does BJP hate India?”
While referring to the letter written by former Leader of the Opposition of Lok Sabha Sonia Gandhi to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Markam said, “it is in the interest of the country.”

State Youth Congress President Vikrant Bhuria who was also present in the meeting said that the Congress is working to reach the people since people are angry.
“People are angry in the state. This is why we are working to reach the public. BJP’s Jan Ashirwad Yatra will be countered. The Congress is also going to travel across the state. The responsibility for that has been given to all senior leaders,” he said.

The youth leader added that the Congress leaders were also asked to be prepared in the case of simultaneous polls, that the BJP intends to bring upon.
“We were also asked to be prepared in case the Lok Sabha and Vidhansabha elections are held simultaneously. Kamal Nath was preparing for the One Nation One Election for last one year,” Bhuria said.

Speaking on the Neemuch incident, Bhuria said, “BJP is not ready to accept the Neemuch incident. People are angry with them. BJP is not seeing the suffering of the people and the farmers. The anger of the Dalits, tribals, women, and unemployed is visible. If the BJP continues with this attitude, the Congress will win 170 seats.”
Bhuria said that the Youth Congress has given 20 to 25 names to Kamal Nath for the upcoming elections.

“Kamal Nath has been given 20 to 25 names from the Youth Congress and the screening committee will decide. The Youth Congress has fought on the ground. Its leadership is well known. The Youth Congress will play a major role in the election campaign,” Bhuria said.
Madhya Pradesh is among the five states where assembly elections are to be held later this year to elect 230 members of the state. In the 2018 assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Congress emerged as the single largest party with 114 seats and BJP got 109 seats.
However, in 2020, the Congress government lost the majority followed by the resignations of some MLAs. After this, the BJP formed the government in the state and Shivraj Singh Chouhan was reinstated as the Chief Minister.