So what's the winning formula? Unlike Manmohan Desai of 1980s who dished out several of the most entertaining mega star movies and laughed all the way to the banks, the politicians in Madhya Pradesh are rather clueless about a winning formula. The delay in announcing 230 candidates is reportedly about winnability formula.

Both major political parties in Madhya Pradesh, BJP and Congress are contemplating selection of winnable candidates in the upcoming assembly elections. However, both the parties are still not sure what would be the criteria for ‘winnability’.

The Congress has almost finalized its first list of 115 candidates including most of the old faces (sitting MLAs) and it is likely to be declared in few days.

Recently, at a three-day of brainstorming in New Delhi, top state Congress leaders and party central screening committee led by Madhusudan Mistry  finalised names and panels of around 115 seats for the upcoming assembly elections.

Notably, there has been difference in the statements of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and PCC Chief Kamal Nath over criteria for ticket distribution. Nath has claimed that the only criteria would be of winnability, no matter whether the candidate comes from BJP or any other party. On the contrary, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has categorically said that the party would consider candidature of only those who had been struggling for years in the party.

State Media in-charge of Congress Shobha Oza told ‘The Pioneer’ that the list of 115 candidates could be out anytime after Dussehra. She claimed that as per the directives of the PCC Chief, candidature of leaders coming to party fold from outside would be considered only if there is no stronger candidate of Congress is available in a particular constituency. However, she asserted that winnability would be the criteria above all.

Political observers feel that the first list of the Congress would certainly clear several doubts, despite the fact that names of most of the sitting MLAs would be included in the list. In most of the constituencies represented by Congress, there would not be much problem in declaring the candidates, they added.