The closely fought assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress hinged primarily on the issue of farmer suicides and agricultural issues. However, the electoral battle between the two parties and their respective campaigns drew attention to other significant issues.
For Kamal Nath, the newly elected Madhya Pradesh (MP) chief minister, the biggest challenge is to arrange enough funds to fulfil the two populist promises made by the Congress in its election manifesto. These are the loan waiver for farmers and the monthly allowance of ₹ 4,000 to the unemployed. It is believed that the Congress’s return to power after a gap of 15 years in the state was due to these promises.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi had promised the loan waiver in his election rallies and Kamal Nath has reiterated the party’s commitment to it.
