"Elections a festival of democracy": Shivraj Chouhan after announcement of poll date

Sidhi (Madhya Pradesh) [India], October 9 (ANI): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday that elections are a festival of democracy and appealed to all voters to participate in the elections.
"Elections are the festival of democracy. I want to appeal to the voters to participate in these elections. I also want to appeal to all political parties to fight elections peacefully...," the Chief Minister said soon after the Election Commission announced the polling date for Madhya Pradesh as well as four other state assembly election scheduled on November.
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath said that the date of polling in the state will be a day to teach a lesson to those who "hijack democracy".
"The date for which the people of Madhya Pradesh were waiting was formally announced today. Voting is in Madhya Pradesh on 17th November. This will be a day to teach a lesson to those who hijack democracy and restore the rule of truth. I request the Congress workers and the entire people of Madhya Pradesh to prepare for the elections keeping in mind the development of Madhya Pradesh and the future of Madhya Pradesh...," said Kamal Nath in a post on X.
Speaking on the announcement of dates for the Assembly polls, Congress MP Randeep Surjewala said that these elections will prove that the country will witness a "huge change" in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
"People in all these five states will take BJP out of power and prove that a huge change will come in the country in 2024. 8.5 crore people in Madhya Pradesh are ready to remove BJP. MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan is tired and retired," Surjewala said speaking to ANI.
Thanking the Election Commission for announcing the dates for poll, Bharatiya Janata Party Madhya Pradesh state president VD Sharma said, "This is a much-awaited election and Madhya Pradesh has got the date of November 17...Each and every worker of the BJP is engaged in extensive planning for the election...BJP will win this election with a huge mandate under the leadership of PM Modi."
In Madhya Pradesh, the state will elect legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies. In the 2018 elections, Congress won 114 seats with a vote share of 41.5 per cent while the BJP came second and managed to win 109 seats. Its vote share was 41.6 per cent. However, in 2020, the Congress government lost the majority after the resignations of some MLAs belonging to a faction led by Jyotiraditya Scindia, who later joined the BJP. After this, the BJP formed the government in the state and Shivraj Singh Chouhan was reinstated as the Chief Minister.
The elections to five states are crucial as they are being held months before the Lok Sabha elections in April-May next year.
Congress and BJP are the key players in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Telangana is expected to witness a triangular contest between the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Congress and BJP. (ANI)