NEW DELHI, Dec 12 (Agencies) : Congress president Rahul Gandhi has gone to the grassroots to select CMs for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The process is democratic, and works like a secret ballot.Over the last 24 hours, an audio message from Rahul has gone to 7.3 lakh party workers across the three states, in which they have been asked to respond, indicating their choice, and promised complete confidentiality.
According to national TV channel NDTV, In the audio message, Rahul is heard congratulating the leaders for the party's victory in the assembly elections in the three heartland states. "Now I want to ask you a vital question: Who should be the chief minister? Please mention just one name. I'm the only person who would know whom you are naming. No one in the party will know. Please speak after the beep".
Sources in Congress said the data will help decide whom the respondents from each state want and already, very clear preferences are emerging from each state.
"This is what we were waiting for. It is the new Congress -- Listen to your worker's first," said a source, echoing what the Congress chief said yesterday about the importance of listening to the "heartbeat of the country".
In Rajasthan, two-thirds of the newly-elected Congress lawmakers want Sachin Pilot to be the Chief Minister. Others are batting for two-time Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
The leaders in Madhya Pradesh are divided between party veteran Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia, Rahul's close aide.
In Chhattisgarh, too, several names are doing he rounds, including Bhupesh Baghel and TS Singh Deo, leader of the opposition in the previous assembly and Tamradhwaj Sahu, the state's only Congress parliamentarian.
Kamal Nath stakes claim to form government in MP
Bhopal, Dec 12 (IANS): Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath met Governor Anandiben Patel on Wednesday and staked his party's claim to form the next government in the state.
"We have staked claim," he told reporters after the meeting at Raj Bhavan. Asked who would be the Chief Minister, Kamal Nath shot back: "I don't know."
Late on Tuesday, Kamal Nath wrote to the Governor urging her to give him an appointment so that he could stake claim as the Congress had emerged as the single largest party in the Assembly with "majority support".
The Congress won 114 seats, two short of a majority in the 230-member house.
After the meeting with the Governor, Lok Sabha member and Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said "of course it would be a privilege" when he was asked whether he would like to be the Chief Minister.
He said the Congress, which has won 114 seats, has the legislative majority with the backing of all four Independents and three MLAs of BSP and SP.
Scindia, one of the contenders for chief ministership, also attacked outgoing Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
"You were claiming that BJP is going to win 200 seats this time. Even if we count all the BJP seats in all five states, the party has not crossed the 200 mark," he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Kamal Nath said the top priority of new Congress government will be to work for "farmers and unemployed youth".
He said this after meeting the outgoing Chief Minister.
He added: "We have to create a new environment of trust in Madhya Pradesh."
Asked about the farm loan waiver promised by the party within 10 days of taking power, he said: "Let the government be formed first."
Before meeting the Governor, Kamal Nath described Chouhan as "my friend" and said "he fought a good election".
Meanwhile, Chouhan tendered his resignation to the Governor taking moral responsibility for the party's electoral loss in the state.
"Ab mai mukt hoon. (Now I am free)... The responsibility of defeat is totally mine," Chouhan said.
"No one has got the mandate. Since we have also not got the mandate, we did not stake claim to form the government," Chouhan added.
Earlier reports
Congress to form MP government as Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigns
Bhopal, Dec 12 (IANS): The path for the formation of a Congress government in Madhya Pradesh was cleared with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigning from the post on Wednesday declaring that the BJP was not going to stake claim.
"As we have not got clear majority, we are not going to stake claim to form the government. And I am going to the Governor to resign as the Chief Minister," Chouhan said here.
Meanwhile, reports have emerged that Governor Anandiben Patel has invited Congress leader Kamal Nath, who on Tuesday night wrote to her that his party has emerged as the single largest party in the state and has majority support in the 230-member Assembly, staking claim.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, whose party won two seats in the state, announced to extend support to the Congress on Wednesday.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) which won one seat in the state also extended its support to the Congress. The announcement was made by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.
"The Samajwadi Party extends its support to the Congress to form a government in Madhya Pradesh," Yadav tweeted in Hindi on Wednesday.
According to the Election Commission, the final tally for the 230-seat Madhya Pradesh Assembly showed Congress with 114 seats, while the ruling BJP came close with 109 in a battle that went to the wire on Tuesday.
Final results : MP counting over: Congress emerges single largest party
Daijiworld Media Network
Bhopal, Dec 12 : Exactly after 24 hours after counting started, Election Commission of India in Bhopal, on Wednesday at 8.20 am declared the final tally of Assembly election results held in Madhya Pradesh (MP).
Congress has won 114 seats in MP's 230 seat Assembly, just short of two seats for the majority. BJP ended-up with 109 seats. BSP 2, SP 1 and independents 4.
Kamal Nath, senior leader and the person who led the party to victory in MP has already claimed stake to form the government last night even before EC officially declared the results.
EC took longer than expected time to declare the results. Congress had to wait until this morning to officially claim single largest party status. Governor Anandibein has still not given appointment to Congress leaders in response to the request letter of meeting.
Congress has also claimed the support of two BSP, one SP and all four independent MLAs in the Assembly. With the support from 7 MLAs, Congress could comfortably form government.
Final Results
Madhya Pradesh : Total seats 230
BJP : 109
Congress: 114
BSP : 02
SP : 01
Independents : 04
Rajasthan : Total seats 200
BJP : 73
Congress : 99
BSP : 6
CPI : 2
BTP : 2
RLD : 1
RLP : 3
Independents : 13
Chhattisgarh : Total seats 90
BJP : 15
Congress : 68
BSP : 02
JCC : 05
Telangana : Total seats 119
BJP : 01
TRS : 88
Congress + : 19
TDP : 2
AIMM : 7
Others : 2
Mizoram : Total seats 40
BJP : 01
Congress: 05
MNF : 26
Ind: 08
Bhopal, Dec 11 : After a nail-biting contest between Congress and BJP in Madhya Pradesh assembly election, Kamal Nath, leader of Congress party wrote a letter to the governor seeking the opportunity to form the government. As at 10.30 pm on Tuesday, Congress was just two short of majority. In the 230-member state assembly, Congress is leading in 114 seats and BJP in 108. Other parties like SP, BSP and independents are leading in 7 seats.
More details to follow.
Congress candidates on Tuesday took significant leads in BJP-ruled Rajasthan and also Congress was inching ahead of the BJP in both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in Assembly elections held in five states.
Trends from counting centres also showed that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) appeared set to retain power in Telangana while the ruling Congress was lagging behind the Mizo National Front (MNF) in Mizoram in state elections that were widely dubbed a 'semi-final' ahead of the Lok Sabha battle next year.
In line with exit polls, the Congress appeared to be returning to power after a five-year gap in Rajasthan, the country's largest state which has not re-elected a ruling party in recent times.