Gwalior: BJP, Congress and BSP may face revolt from within in Gwalior and Chambal regions as the disgruntled lot have filed nomination papers against their own party candidates as Independents or as nominees of other parties after they were denied tickets.
babulal medwa
Former minister, Bhagwan Singh Yadav had filed his nomination papers as an Independent candidate against the official candidate of Congress Pravin Pathak in Gwalior-South Assembly segment, Yadav was seeking a ticket from Congress on this seat. Former mayor of Gwalior municipal corporation and BJP leader Samiksha Gupta would be seen in the election fray as an Independent candidate against three-term minister, Narayan Singh Kushwah the candidate of BJP in the same constituency in Gwalior. Narayan Singh has continuously registered victory on this seat from BJP since 2003.
Narendra kushwah
BJP’s sitting and two term MLA from Bhind constituency has also filed his nomination against the party’s contestant on a ticket of Samajwadi Party after he was denied a ticket from the BJP. BJP has given ticket on Bhind seat to former minister Rakesh Singh Choudhary who had left Congress during the no-confidence motion in 2013 and joined BJP. Babulal Mewada a BJP veteran and two-term MLA from Vijaypur constituency in Sheopur district submitted his nomination papers from BSP after he was not entertained. BJP has fielded Sitaram Adiwasi on this seat. Congress has fielded state working president, former minister and five-term MLA Ramniwas Rawat.
Ramesh khaitik
In Morena constituency, a BSP rebel, Jai Prakash Rajouria, will contest the elections on an Aam Aadmi ticket against the BSP candidate Balbir Dandotia who is the official candidate of the party. Rajoria contested the 2013 Assembly polls on a BSP ticket and was defeated by 200 votes by BJP’s Rustam Singh. Rustam is once again in the election fray on a BJP ticket.
Former BJP MLA from Karera SC reserved seat, Ramesh Khatik had filed his nomination on a SAPAKS ticket after BJP had initially cold-shouldered him. However, the BJP has fielded Rajkumar Khatik on this seat!
The Lahar Assembly segment is in debate now because Congress heavyweight and six-time MLA Dr Govind Singh is once again contesting on a ticket of Congress. BJP leader and 2008 poll candidate, Ambrish Sharma alias Guddu has fielded on a ticket of BSP against the BJP’s nominee Rasal Singh.
POLL NAMA
Even as the Muslims constitute just 6.57 per cent of Madhya Pradesh’s population, their “alienation” will barely have any electoral significance for the Congress. The Congress has also made an assumption that Muslims will not vote for the BJP.
According to sources, the Congress believes that Muslims will choose its soft Hindutva over the BJP’s hard Hindutva mainly because they have no third choice.