Ujjain: Finally, BJP on Monday afternoon cleared two more seats from Ujjain district and tally of its candidates reached to 5 out of 7. Though declaration of sitting MLA Mohan Yadav from Ujjain South seat and that of a new face Jitendra Pandya from Barnagar seat clearly reflects the caste compulsions, the Brahmin community leaders have expressed deep resentment as the party has once again not given the ticket to any Brahmin candidate from both Ujjain North and Ujjain
South seats, from where the Brahmins had a good hold previously.
Mohan Yadav
HOW MOHAN YADAV MANAGED HIS SEAT?
As Free Press indicated earlier in its stories, despite all odds Yadav (an OBC leader) managed to retain his candidature from Ujjain South seat. During past 8 elections, this seat was represented by the Brahmin community for six times and others only two times.
Here influence of upper castes including Maharashtriyans and Hindi-speaking Brahmins is in a commanding position as most of them are employed in government services. But, the BJP leadership preferred Yadav arguing that about 75, 000 voters, out of 2, 42, 784 voters, belong to OBC category in this constituency.
According to sources, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and RSS wanted to field Pradeep Pande (Brahmin leader) from this seat, but Yadav managed the ticket due to strong backing of Union petroleum minister and state election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan. Even Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Rajya Sabha member Satya Narayan Jatiya could not also manage a ticket for their loyalist Iqbal Singh Gandhi (ex-city BJP president) from this seat.
RESENTMENT BREWING AGAINST PARAS JAIN
The BJP leadership has already given ticket to energy minister Paras Jain from Ujjain North, where Brahmins who use to perform worshipping in hundreds of temples and also do various karmkaand enjoy sizeable number of voters. He has been contesting on this seat since 1990 election and as he is about to touch 70 years of age, the party rank and file had launched a campaign to dislodge him.
Despite his re-nomination for ticket on November 2, front ticket aspirant and Ujjain Municipal Corporation president Sonu Gehlot and his supporters have been leading a campaign these days to force the party hi-command to rethink on their decision. Many Brahmin leaders have also expressed anger on social media for not fielding any Brahmin candidate on any of the seat.
Jitendra Pandya
PANDYA REPLACES PANDYA!
To oblige the Brahmin community, the party leadership tipped Jitendra Pandya (an Audichya Brahmin) from Barnagar where his community has sizeable number of voters. He is a son of Udai Singh Pandya, who represented the constituency thrice.
Sitting MLA Mukesh Pandya has been denied ticket due to his inactiveness. From this seat, two time MLA Shantilal Dhabai was all assured to be given ticket again, but as he belongs to Yadav community and Mohan Yadav was already given ticket from Ujjain South he will have to remain satisfied.
ANTI-QUOTA BODIES NOW GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARDS
Meanwhile, organisations like Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Samaj (ABBS) and Rajput Karni Sena (RKS) have showed annoyance over not-fielding upper caste candidates from city’s two seats Ujjain North and Ujjain South. They had organised huge anti-quota agitations recently after enforcement of ‘amended’ SC-ST Prevention of Atrocity Act-2018. Looking to their aggressive mood, the prime arch rival parties had indicated to adjust their candidates from city seats, but as BJP has avoided fielding any Brahmin candidate, they have now started formulating their strategy.
ABBS patron Pt Jiyalal Sharma told Free Press that despite their continuous efforts to seek proper representation on city seats, the BJP has got them nervous. He indicated that the ABBS may launch a NOTA campaign against BJP-Congress. On the other hand, RKS district convener Yashwant Singh said that they will convene a joint meeting of all like-minded organisations after Diwali to finalise the strategy.
He indicated that RKS may organise tehsil level conventions to motivate people against the designs of BJP and Congress. According to him, a state level convention of the RKS will be organised in Jaora on November 15 to launch a massive campaign against reservation policy.
CONG TO PLAY ITS CASTE CARD NOW!
With BJP not fielding Brahmin or Rajput candidate from Ujjain North or Ujjain South constituency, the Congress party has now started playing its caste card. It has yet not decided its candidates from both these seats. The party had fielded Brahmin candidates twice on both these seats in 1885 and 2008 elections, respectively. However, these Brahmin candidates won 1985 elections from both seats, but lost 2008 elections.
Amid fast changing equations, names of Maya Trivedi and Rajendra Vasishtha have been emerged from North and South seats, respectively. Former belongs to Kamal Nath camp while later belongs to Digvijaya Singh camp. But, at the last moment Jyotiraditya Scindia’s close confidante Rajendra Bharti (an OBC leader) may get ticket from Ujjain North. With the blessings of Kamal Nath, Jai Singh Darbar (Rajput leader) is also lobbying hard from South.