In Madhya Pradesh, poster war intensifies as Congress & BJP trade barbs on corruption

The assembly elections are due in Madhya Pradesh in four months and as a result, the political mercury is on the rise. At such a time, a poster war has given politics in the state a new turn which has distracted the public from local issues to the current and former Chief Ministers.

Poster war in MP intensifies

The poster war in Madhya Pradesh began with Kamal Nath when unidentified men last week put up posters of the former CM calling him "corruption Nath" and with the word "Wanted" written over them. By the time it was evening, Kamal Nath supporters countered by putting up posters against current CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and calling him "ghotala raj." 

(Posters against Kamal Nath were spotted at several locations including Bhopal's New Market area)

Now a war of words has erupted between members of the Congress party and the BJP and a blame game has begun from both sides. First, Kamal Nath appeared before the media and called the allegations of corruption against him in the posters "baseless." He also questioned why the BJP government did not arrest him in the last three years if the allegations are true. He even went on to call Chouhan the 'nation's most corrupt Chief Minister.' "They are pointing fingers at my political career. They toppled our government but could not initiate an enquiry. Shivraj is the most corrupt chief minister. This is an attempt to defame me. Each BJP neta is embroiled in corruption and the public is my witness," Nath said.

(Posters against Chouhan were put up at Bhopal's Mata Mandir, Platinum Plaza and New Market areas)

The BJP soon hit back with a fiery retort as MP BJP President VD Sharma, during a press conference, reminded of the alleged scams by Kamal Nath's government and went on to enlist the developmental works by Chouhan. "The BJP has nothing to do with it. There is infighting among the Congress members to promote their children," Sharma said. Sharma even said that the public will give a stern reply to Kamal Nath and Congress for plastering the posters across Bhopal. 

When it seemed like the poster war will be over with BJP's response, Congress went a step ahead and put up new posters; this time with a QR code and “50% laao; phone pe kaam karaao” text. Similar 'PayCM' posters were spotted in Karnataka ahead of the assembly elections earlier this year. This is being seen as Congress' attempt to make commission as issue in MP just like it did in Karnataka. When asked for his reaction on poster war, MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra said, "all that Congress does is blame the BJP. These people have been unable to prove even one allegation."

Meanwhile, the police have started a crackdown on the controversial posters. The Gwalior police have registered an FIR against unidentified persons for posters on CM Chouhan, and three others along with the President of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) in Chindwada have been booked for the same.

Report by Satya Vijay Singh