A village where the standard of living mirrors that of the 1950s—lacking basic amenities such as water supply, street lights, proper housing, and even a road network in 2024 (Image: Organiser)
The Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh saw an intense focus on the Chhindwara constituency, which went to polls on April 19. This seat holds significant attention due to its historical allegiance to the Congress party since 1957, with Kamal Nath consistently clinching victory since 1980, barring exceptions in 1996 and 1997 when his wife, Alka Nath, and former MP Chief Minister Sundar Lal Patwa secured wins respectively.
Chhindwara stands as a stronghold for Kamal Nath, often dubbed as his bastion. Both within the Congress party and externally, the “Chhindwara Model” of development is championed, presenting an alternative narrative to the “Gujarat Model.”
In a recent media exchange, Nakul Nath highlighted the transformation under his father’s leadership, stating, “When my father first became MP in 1980, Chhindwara received water supply only twice a week. Today, thanks to initiatives like the Machagora dam, we have an uninterrupted water supply.”
He further emphasised, “Only 400 out of 2,000 villages had electricity back then. Now, every single village is connected to the power grid. And when you look at the infrastructure, can you spot a difference between Chhindwara and major metropolitan cities like Delhi or Mumbai?”
Prior to polling day, Organiser did on-ground visits to both urban and rural areas in Chhindwara. This report sheds light on the harsh reality of the development model by focusing on a village where residents, predominantly from the Gond tribe, endure a substandard quality of life due to the lack of basic amenities such as roads, electricity, and water.
Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency comprises seven assembly seats: Junnardeo, Amarwara, Chaurai, Sausar, Chhindwara, Parasia, and Pandhurna. Of these, five are situated in rural areas and are home to numerous tribes, including Gond, Pardhan, Bharia, and Korku.
During Organiser’s visit to some of these assembly constituencies, a village named Rajangaon (Imli Dhana) in the Rajola Panchayat caught attention. Located approximately 50 kilometres from the main city of Chhindwara, Rajangaon epitomises the challenges faced by rural communities in the region.
Upon entering the panchayat, the road from the highway was surprisingly devoid of potholes, transitioning into a weathered concrete path leading to the Panchayat area. Flanked by mostly makeshift dwellings on both sides, the road eventually gave way to a rugged footway marked by pits and potholes after about a kilometre of travel. Our car could proceed no further.
Seeking guidance, a local summoned a young man named Sonu Tekam, who escorted me to the village. The basti lay roughly two and a half kilometres from where the car was halted, and every inch of the path was marred by irregularities, making traversal arduous.
Sonu lamented, “Madam, this is the sole route linking our basti to the panchayat. In the summer, we can manage, but during the monsoon, we are compelled to leave our vehicles in the main village and trudge through knee-deep mud to reach our homes.”
As I pressed forward, the absence of streetlights became glaringly apparent at every turn.
From a distance of about 500 meters, a large tent came into view. Sonu explained that a “Satta” was underway—a Satta is a religious gathering where villagers assemble to perform puja, sing hymns, and share prasad before dispersing. This particular Satta was organised to celebrate the installation of a bore after years of struggle. Though it was funded by Panchayat, the locals say they have been asking for it for the last 25 years.
Till now they have been fetching water from a hand pump installed at the same place where my car was parked.
Hundreds of people had gathered for the occasion, surrounded by marshy terrain and mud shelters. With no proper road, navigating the rocky and uneven ground was necessary to reach the event site.
Given my purpose of covering the elections, I immediately inquired about their voting intentions. Dhurulal Parteti, the former Sarpanch, asserted, “The road to our village will only be constructed when Nakul Nath assumes power. We have consistently voted for the Congress, and recently, Nath provided sewing machines to the self-help groups operating in our village.”
When pressed about the prolonged absence of road infrastructure, he remained optimistic, stating, “It will happen, but only under Nakul Nath’s leadership.”
Remarkably, the village is divided between supporters of two ideologies: one backing the Congress and the other endorsing the Gondwana Gartantra Party. The panchayat encompasses four villages—Rajandgaon, Imli Dhana, Ketiya Dhana, and Rajola—wherein only two villages harbour a significant tribal population. Although these tribes predominantly vote for the Gondwana party, their numbers are insufficient to secure victory for their candidates.
These villagers remain largely unaware of the central government’s schemes intended for their welfare. Chaitram, an elderly resident, confidently stated, “Kamal Nath will emerge victorious, and Modi will lose this election.”
A prevailing sentiment among the villagers is that the central government has neglected their needs, leaving them to fend for themselves. This sentiment is palpable upon visiting the village, where the lack of basic amenities—such as streetlights, water supply, roads, toilets, and proper housing—becomes glaringly evident.
Progressing beyond the point where my vehicle was parked, it felt as though I had been transported back to the 1950s.
Barabai Taikam expressed her intention to vote for Kamal Nath, citing the widespread support for him in the village. When asked about her opinion of his work, she said, that would be cleared after he comes to power.
I pointed out that Kamal Nath has held power for the past 45 years without significant development for the village. Barabai remained silent in response.
Prakash Taikam, well-versed in regional politics, shared insights with the Organiser. He remarked, “In the Lok Sabha elections, the party we support, Gondwana Gartantra, will have minimal impact. During the Vidhan Sabha elections, despite securing over 3500 votes, the Congress candidate prevailed.”
He elaborated, “My basti comprises over 300 voters, all belonging to the Gond janjati. We are the original inhabitants of this land, deeply rooted in agriculture, cultivating corn and wheat for sustenance.”
Prakash indicated his support for Nakul Nath, citing the Congress party’s commitment to preserving reservation policies. He noted that this sentiment was echoed by the entire village, leading to widespread support for the Congress candidate.
I encountered another gentleman in his sixties and inquired about the community’s concerns. He lamented, “Madam, you can hardly walk properly without shoes; imagine our struggle here. I have served on the Panchayat for 20 years, yet no party or government has addressed our issues. Only 2 per cent of the population has benefited from the PM Awas Yojana, and most people still reside in mud houses.”
He continued, “All government schemes and benefits reach only up to Rajola; nothing trickles down here. Whether it’s the Congress or the BJP, development will only come after we are separated from Rajola Panchayat, which is what we desire.”
Akash Dhurve, a newly eligible voter at 18, shared his educational journey. He attended school in Rajola until 8th grade, then had to commute 29 kilometres to Amarwara for secondary schooling, and 31 kilometres to Singodi for higher secondary education. Currently pursuing a BSc at PG College in Chhindwara, he also manages a YouTube channel providing educational content for students from first to eighth grade.
Echoing the sentiments of his elders, Akash believes the BJP has neglected the janjati community, trusting that the Congress will advocate for their interests. Despite the Congress’s long-standing rule in the region, he blames the BJP for the lack of development.
When asked about the Congress’s support, Akash highlighted their contributions, stating, “They established colleges, and Nath brought a medical college to Chhindwara.”
When informed that it was under Shivraj Singh’s government that the medical college was approved, he remained silent. Quoting Chhindwara’s five-term corporator and BJP vice-president of the district, Sanjay Pande, the correspondent highlighted his remarks to the media, which says, “Shivraj Singh Chouhan tirelessly worked on projects like the Machagora dam, the Mansarovar complex, and improving connectivity.”
Akash agreed and emphasised, “The roads to this village were constructed on Shivraj Singh’s directives. The BJP provides benefits like the Kisan Samman Nidhi, gas cylinders, and financial aid to women. Yet, despite these offerings, we still intend to vote for the Congress.”
Chhindwara houses approximately 37 per cent of the Vanvasi community. When combined with the Scheduled Caste population, this constitutes around 42 per cent of the total population. Historically, this segment has been a staunch supporter of Congress since the 1950s.
There exists a perception among tribes that the Congress will champion their causes, and safeguard their rights and reservations, while the BJP aims to strip away their benefits.
To counter this perception, the BJP is actively engaging with the community on the ground, dispelling the notion that Modi has not delivered for the people. BJP’s candidate, Bunty Sahu, also echoed this sentiment during discussions with the Organiser.
Organiser also conversed with a representative of the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, an initiative by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) dedicated to the upliftment of the Vanvasi community. He shared details of awareness programs launched in regions like Junnardeo and Patalkot, previously vulnerable to missionary conversions.
Efforts have been exerted to educate people about their rights and entitlements and to connect them with various schemes provided by both the central and state governments.
However, despite benefiting from the central government, there are regions where individuals perceive the BJP as their adversary and view Modi as someone who threatens to take away everything they have.
This perception persists despite the fact that the Congress, which has governed the region for over 40 years, has failed to deliver tangible improvements for them.
Nevertheless, they continue to place their trust in the Congress.
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