Digivijaya Singh Promises Caste Census In Madhya Pradesh If Congress Wins

Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Digvijaya Singh on Monday said a caste-based census would be done if Congress is voted to power in the state in the forthcoming assembly polls slated later this year.

Reacting to the caste-based census report released by Bihar Government, Mr Singh told ANI, “I have always supported this. If we come to power here, we will also get a caste-based census done in Madhya Pradesh.”

The Bihar government on Monday released caste survey data, with the figures that have ramifications for the Lok Sabha polls next year, showing that Other Backward Caste (OBC) and Extremely Backward Class (EBC) together account for 63 per cent of the state's population.

Speaking about Sanatan row, Mr Singh said, “We follow Sanatan Dharma, there is no hatred in Sanatan Dharma which they (BJP) spread.”

When asked about Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's statement people will miss him when he is gone, the former CM said, “Because he has accepted his defeat (referring to in the upcoming assembly polls).”

The Congress leader also said that only brokers would remember him (CM Chouhan) and nobody else would remember him.

Notably, CM Chouhan made the remark while addressing a program in Sehore district on Sunday evening. He said, “Will never find a brother like this, you (referring to women in the program) will miss me when I am gone.”

Earlier in a post on X Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan claimed that the BJP would return to power and work for the people with greater vigour.

"I will give development in the state a new vigour, I will give your faith a new strength, this is my promise to you. With the blessings of Maa Jageshwari and the blessings of the people the BJP (/topic/bjp) will again form the government in Madhya Prasesh and the state will move forward with a new resolve" the Chief Minister posted on X

Madhya Pradesh is scheduled to go for the assembly polls later this year. Through the polls, the state will elect legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies. 

The last state assembly polls in 2018 saw the Congress coming to power, with veteran leader Kamal Nath taking oath as the Chief Minister.

Nonetheless, a political upheaval rocked the state in 2020, after the then Congressman Jyotiraditya Scindia, along with 22 loyalist MLAs, switched over to the saffron camp. The Congress government fell after being reduced to a minority and the BJP formed the government, with Shivraj Singh Chouhan returning as chief minister.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)