Guarded optimism in Cong over opinion poll

The state Congress has greeted an opinion poll conducted by C-Voter with guarded optimism that has predicted defeat of the BJP in upcoming Assembly elections in all three poll-bound states including Madhya Pradesh.

The survey has predicted 117 seats (42%) for the Congress against 106 for the BJP (40%) in the 230-strong MP Assembly. However, it shows 7% drop in the Congress vote share and 6% gain for the BJP.

The C-Voter opinion poll also revealed Shivraj Singh Chouhan as the first choice for the chief ministerial post (41.7%) compared to Congress’ Jyotiradity Scindia (30.3%) and Kamal Nath (7.5%).

State Congress campaign committee chairman Jyotiraditya Scindia said although the C-voter survey has exposed hollowness of the Shivraj Singh government’s 15 years rule, the Congress will not let workers be overconfident. “Next three months are a great challenge for the party”, he said.

Congress leaders attributed the relative drop in the Congress vote share against BJP's to the fluidity in the political scenario in the state. They held responsible chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ongoing Jan Ashirvad Yatra for fall in the Congress vote share.

They, however, are exuding confidence that after Congress president Rahul Gandhi sounds poll bugle in the first week of September from Omkareshwar, the party will be able to undo the damage caused by Chief Minister’s Yatra.