Ticket-seekers in their thousands thronged the headquarters of the BJP and the Congress. Madhya Pradesh has already become a two-party state. Besides the Congress and the BJP, no other party has a significant presence in the State.

There was a time when ticket distribution used to be a smooth affair in the BJP. And this was one of the reasons why the BJP used to claim that it was a party with a difference.

Though discordant voices were audible in both the parties, but the protests against ticket distribution were more vociferous in the Congress.

Those who failed to get Congress tickets have adopted various strategies to voice their protest. For instance, an angry crowd of Congressmen burnt the effigy of Suresh Pachauri, a former Central Minister. In another case, a Congressman tried to commit suicide before the party office. The state NSUI President and the presidents of 15 district units of the students' wing of the party resigned their posts while the state Youth Congress Chief threatened to quit. Noisy demonstrations against various leaders were a regular feature.

Similarly, angry demonstrations were held before the residences of BJP ministers including Higher Education Minister Uma Shankar Gupta. In Indore, a powerful BJP legislator, Ramesh Mendola threatened 'drastic action' if the party tickets were not allotted to his favorites.

This time, the BJP is extra cautions because of the results of local body elections in the neighboring state of Chhattisgarh, where the Congress made significant gains. Elections were held in nine Municipal Corporations in Chhattisgarh with the Congress and the BJP capturing four each. In the 2009 elections, BJP had won in six and Congress in three.

The BJP is worried that the Chhattisgarh story may be repeated in Madhya Pradesh. That is why, while allotting tickets; it tried to please all the factions of the party. This time, the BJP is also trying to win the support of the Muslims, who have a decisive presence in many Wards of Bhopal. The BJP has fielded ten Muslims in Bhopal.

Besides Municipal Corporations, Panchayat elections are also due in the State. Elections to Panchayats are not held on party basis. Despite this, political affiliations do play a major role. In order to woo rural voters, the state government has taken two very important decisions. Now, every Village Panchayat will have a fair price shop and henceforth women would be treated as heads of families in official work.

Some very disturbing reports are coming in from the rural areas. In some villages, a strange way has been evolved to ensure unanimous election of sarpanchs.

In several villages, the posts of sarpanchs are being auctioned and one who makes the highest bid is assured of unanimous elections. In one village, the sarpanch's post was purchased at a price of Rs. 15 lakh. If this trend continues, then the day is not far off when rural self-government institutions would be captured by the moneyed.

This may lead to further consolidation of feudal forces. Some pro-democracy organisations submitted a memorandum to the State Election Commission expressing serious concern over this trend and demanded drastic and quick action to curb it. One such memorandum pointed out that if this practice is not curbed, soon the posts of Prime Minister and Chief Ministers may be auctioned. The Election Commission has issued directive to the district collectors to keep a watch on incidents of auctioning of panchayat posts and ensure that one who 'purchases' the post is not elected unanimously. (IPA Service)