Taking a leaf out of its successful anti-corruption campaign in Karnataka, the Madhya Pradesh Congress has drawn inspiration and initiated a similar drive in the state, targeting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. In Karnataka, the Congress managed to dislodge the BJP by leveraging various factors, including their effective "PayCM" and "40% Sarkara" campaigns, which alleged corruption under the saffron party's governance. Now, taking a cue from these tactics, the Madhya Pradesh Congress has launched a campaign called "50% Commission Government" against the BJP.
To bolster their campaign, the Congress has inundated cities in Madhya Pradesh with posters featuring Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's photographs, accompanied by QR codes. Additionally, the party is actively promoting the campaign through its social media channels. "Shivraj's corruption on the streets of Sehore. Bring 50%, get the work done on phone. The people of Madhya Pradesh know and recognise the 50% commission takers," said the Congress on its Twitter handle.
रीवा की सड़कों पर शिवराज का भ्रष्टाचार
50% लाओ, फ़ोन पे काम कराओ
मध्यप्रदेश की जनता जानती है,
50% कमीशनखोरों को पहचानती है। pic.twitter.com/CkXx3eC5tA— MP Congress (@INCMP) June 26, 2023
However, the campaign put digital payment and financial service company 'PhonePe' in spot and the firm was forced to issue a clarification. "We would like to clarify that PhonePe is not associated with the news circulating in some of the media on ‘50% commission government’ in Madhya Pradesh. The company has no political affiliations with any of the parties or candidates," said a PhonePe spokesperson.
It may be recalled that Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on June 12 launched the party's poll campaign for the Madhya Pradesh elections. Priyanka Gandhi also officially rolled out the five key poll promises taking a cue from Karnataka. The five promises include a financial scheme of Rs 1,500 per month, an LPG cylinder at a subsidized rate of Rs 500, the revival of the old pension scheme and up to 100 units of free electricity.
The Congress party's promise of Rs 1,500 monthly financial aid to each woman is aimed at countering 'Ladli Behna Yojana' launched by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan under which each eligible woman is getting Rs 1,000 per month. The subsidized LPG gas cylinder promise is aimed at countering the 'Ujjwala Yojana' launched by Prime Minister Modi. On the other hand, the free electricity promise comes from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s governance model.
Congress is also promising to restore the old pension scheme to woo lakhs of government employees. "The Congress government in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh has restored the OPS," Priyanka had said in Jabalpur. Madhya Pradesh will go to the polls around December this year.
