"Ladli Behna scheme is game-changer, full credit to Shivraj Singh Chouhan": Jyotiraditya Scindia as BJP sweeps MP

New Delhi [India], December 3: Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leading in Madhya Pradesh indicates how CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan's Ladli Behna scheme for women of the state has proved as a 'game changer' in the polls.

As per the latest figures available from the Election Commission, the BJP was leading in 160 of the 230 seats in Madhya Pradesh, while the Congress was ahead in 67 seats.

Speaking to ANI, the minister also credited incumbent chief minister Shivraj for the results showing a comfortable lead for the party in the polls.

"I express my gratitude to every single person of the state. This is the result of the BJP's double engine government, PM Modi's leadership, guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shahji, and party president JP Naddaji, and welfare schemes implemented by CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan...Ladli Behna scheme is a game-changer and the full credit for it goes to Shivraj Singh Chouhan," Scindia said.

Scindia, a former Congress leader who switched over the party to come with the BJP in 2020, also took a swipe at the grand old party and said that his party did the work 'quietly' while the Congress was busy preparing Ladoos and congratulatory posters.

"Congress was preparing Ladoos and congratulatory posters were put up. While we were doing our work quietly..." he added.

As the counting of votes continues, the BJP has taken a comfortable lead in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, while also aiming to capture Chhattisgarh from Congress. Meanwhile, in Telangana, the Congress is poised to oust the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led BRS government to wrest power in another southern state.

The election to the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly was a fight between the BJP and the Congress, whose then 15- month government, formed in the year 2018 was toppled from power in 2020 with help from Jyotiraditya Scindia who defected to the BJP from the Congress.

The BJP though had fielded three central ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Singh Patel and Faggan Singh Kulaste to tackle the perceived anti-incumbency against Chouhan.

Chouhan relied heavily on schemes for women like the 'Ladli Behna Yojana' under which Rs 1250 are being transferred monthly to eligible women from poor families in the state. Congress has described it as an election sop, implemented months before the assembly polls, the BJP leaders have said that it is in line with the party's work for empowering women.

State Congress president and candidate from Chhindwara, Kamal Nath leading by a margin of 15,623 votes after the ninth round of counting, garnering a total of 57895 votes so far.

Incumbent Chief Minister and BJP candidate from Budhni, Shivraj Singh Chouhan leading by a margin of 50,996 votes after the eighth round of counting, garnering a total of 70453 votes so far. (ANI)