Year Ender 2021: COVID, by-polls, OBC quota highlights in MP

Bhopal: The coronavirus pandemic had a deadly run in Madhya Pradesh in 2021.

But other issues cropped up too, chiefly by-elections which pitted traditional rivals Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and reservation for Other Backward Class (OBC) in the three-tier panchayat elections.

After prolonged political wrangling, the state dispensation rescinded the ordinance regarding the panchayat polls.

Earlier, the echo of OBC quota in government employment came up. The Congress moved the High Court and the Supreme Court and the apex court annulled such reservation in panchayat elections.

Those who fell victim to Covid-19 or related complications included Khandwa MP Nand Kumar Singh Chauhan (BJP), legislators Kalawati Bhuriya (Congress), Brajendra Singh Rathore (Congress), Jugul Kishor Bagri (BJP), former Minister Laxmikant Sharma (BJP) and BJP state Vice President Vijesh Lunawat.

More than 10.15 crore vaccine doses have been administered to people. The first jabs have been given to almost the entire eligible population and the second to more than 82 per cent.

On June 21, a record was scripted as some 15 lakh citizens got injections on a single day.

Gwalior and Chambal divisions witnessed monsoonal havoc. Hundreds of villages were surrounded by floodwater and the Army's help was sought. Providentially, there was no major loss of life.

The BJP suffered a debacle in the Damoh Assembly by-election in April when its candidate Rahul Singh was defeated by Ajay Kumar Tandon (Congress).

Later, the BJP won the Khandwa Lok Sabha constituency and the Prithvipur and Jobat (Scheduled Tribe) assembly seats. The latter two were Congress citadels. However, the BJP was defeated at Raigaon (Scheduled Caste).

In the Assembly’s winter session, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan introduced a resolution -- adopted unanimously – stating that OBC reservation would constitute an essential feature of the panchayat elections.

The country’s first world-class Rani Kamalapati (previously Habibganj) railway station here was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 15 when he also attended the Tribal Pride Day event – marking the birth anniversary of revolutionary Birsa Munda.

The historic Minto Hall was renamed after BJP stalwart Kushabhau Thakre and the Patalpani Station after tribal hero Tantya Bhil.

The much-awaited police commissioner system was implemented in Bhopal and Indore this month. (UNI)