The Congress party made an interesting and symbolic decision by releasing its first list of 144 candidates for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections on the first day of Navratri, a nine-day festival dedicated to Goddess Durga. KK Mishra, Chairman of the Media Cell of Madhya Pradesh Congress, explained that the decision to release the list on the auspicious festival day was in line with cultural values.
He mentioned that since there is no distinction between politics and family life, paying attention to auspicious timing is a reflection of their culture and values. The release of the candidate list on the first day of Navratri was seen as a significant and symbolic choice. A prominent astrologer also noted that the number 9 is considered a symbol of perfection, and during Navratri, in which Navadurga is worshipped, “9” represents the blessings of Navadurga.
While the move was seen as an alignment with cultural and spiritual values, it drew criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). BJP spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi accused the Congress of being “double-faced.” He questioned why the Congress, which claimed to care about Sanatana Dharma (eternal religion), was part of the INDIA alliance, which opposes the name of Lord Ram.
The Congress candidate list for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections included prominent names such as Kamal Nath, the state unit president and former Chief Minister, who will contest from Chhindwara. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who belongs to the BJP, will contest from his traditional Budhni seat.
In addition to Madhya Pradesh, the Congress party also declared candidates for 30 seats in Chhattisgarh and 55 in Telangana. The move to release the candidate list on an auspicious day underscored the significance of cultural and spiritual values in Indian politics. However, it also led to political criticism and debate.
