November 1st 2023.
Ujjain is an ancient city known for its religious significance and devoted to Lord Mahakal, and history has proven that the party governing the state of Madhya Pradesh when the Simhastha Mahaparva is held has been at an advantage. The upcoming Simhastha in April-May of 2028 will be no exception.
The records of Ujjain show that since 1967, the Congress party has not had the opportunity to host the major religious congregation. The BJP, or BJP-supported governments, have been in power for all five Simhastha events held in the past 55 years. In 1968, Govind Narayan Singh, a Congress candidate, had formed a Samvid Sarkaar with Jan Sangh's Virendra Kumar Saklecha as his deputy-CM, after his rebellion against Dwarka Prasad Mishra of the Congress party. In 1980, the Janata Party was in power, and then the BJP governed for the three following events in 1992, 2004, and 2016.
The current election has provided an interesting opportunity for the BJP to capitalize on this myth. Top BJP leaders are continuously demonstrating ‘soft Hindutva’ and frequently visiting Mahakaleshwar to seek blessings from Lord Mahakal. On the other hand, Congress is not far behind, with their own leaders visiting the temple and hoping for similar success.
The myth of the CM stepping down after the Simhastha Mahaparva is also a widely believed one. After the 1968 event, Govind Narayan Singh had to step down eleven months later due to conflict between Indira and Nehru Congress. Then in 1980, Sunderlal Patwa of the Janata Party had to step down after the Simhastha, and Congress came to power. Similarly in 1992, Sunderlal Patwa of the BJP had to step down after seven months, and the Congress formed the government under Digvijaya Singh. Uma Bharati was the CM of the state during the Simhastha in 2004, and she had to step down following a court order in Hubli. Lastly, Shivraj Singh Chouhan had to step down after the 2016 event when the BJP faced defeat at the hands of Congress in the 2018 Assembly elections.
It is certain that whichever party forms the government after the MP elections 2023 will host the upcoming Simhastha Mahaparva in 2028, provided it completes its term. Whichever party that is, it is sure to benefit from the myth and history surrounding the Simhastha Mahaparva.
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