- Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Madhya Pradesh will be among five states that will go to polls in November and these elections are being considered as the ‘semi-final’ before next year’s ‘final’ — the general elections.
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE Indian National Congress, which is looking to return to power in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, has promised its representation in the Indian Premier League (IPL), a cash-rich T20 cricket tournament, to woo the voters ahead of the election next month.
In its election manifesto released on Tuesday (17), the Congress said it will make a strong effort to bring an IPL franchise in Madhya Pradesh if it succeeds in toppling the current state government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of prime minister Narendra Modi.
The Congress formed a government in Madhya Pradesh after the 2018 elections but failed to continue in power due to lack of majority after a number of lawmakers rebelled and resigned. The BJP returned to power soon after under the leadership of Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the state’s longest-serving chief minister.
Madhya Pradesh will be among five states that will go to polls in November and these elections are being considered as the ‘semi-final’ before next year’s ‘final’ — the general elections that the BJP are eyeing to win its third consecutive term in New Delhi.
The annual IPL, with an estimated brand value of $8.4 billion, is one of the most popular cricket tournaments in the world. It is also one of the richest leagues in the world and has been attracting top players and coaches from all over to India since its inauguration in 2008.
The tournament currently has 10 teams from various states of India but none from Madhya Pradesh, one of the most populous states of the country of 1.4 billion.
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the custodian of the IPL, has said it has no immediate plans to add more teams. Two teams — Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans — made their debut in the tournament in 2022. Promoters of Lucknow and Ahmedabad cities paid a combined Rs 127.15 billion (1.2 billion) to be part of the money-spinning league.
The BCCI has strong links with the BJP. Jay Shah, the son of India’s home minister Amit Shah is its secretary while IPL chairman Arun Singh Dhumal is the brother of Indian sports minister Anurag Thakur’s brother.
Madhya Pradesh will go to polls on November 17 and the results will be declared on December 3, along with those held in the other four states.
