National

Diggy's Iffy

Power, water crises and bad roads propel Uma forward

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Diggy's Iffy
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Neither is corruption, despite the Dilip Singh Judeo episode. The footage of the BJP's chief minister-hopeful in Chhattisgarh accepting bribe on camera is only grist for the gossip mill, not likely to affect the electoral outcome here.Uma is dismissive: "Ajit Jogi is a master of forgery. This must be one more effort." On her part, she has levelled corruption charges against Digvijay and his crony Subhash Gupta. The CM has struck back by slapping a defamation case. But for the voters, all this is just a sideshow.

Geographically, two regions of the state will determine Digvijay's fate: Malwa and Madhya Bharat. The latter is where the BSP factor may play a role. Digivjay's own constituency, Raghogarh, is festooned in BSP-blue banners. The question that will only be answered at the polling booth is: where will the BSP vote go? Will it be transferred to the Congress lock, stock and barrel, or be split between Mayawati and BSP rebel Phool Singh Baraiya?

The other key region is Malwa, where a pro-BJP undercurrent is back. Traditionally a BJP stronghold, it fell to the Congress in 1998. "We'll hold on to Malwa," says the Raja. But he has been concentrating on the Vindhya and Bundelkhand regions more. "If we breach 32 seats in Malwa, we will win," says Vijayvarghia.

In Malwa's Dhar town lies the modest home of Srimal Jain, Digvijay's favourite palmist. So, is he going to win? "If I could see both his and Umaji's palms, I would have the answer. But I haven't seen hers." Even he isn't hazarding a guess as to whether it will be "teesri baari, very sorry" for Diggy Raja.

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