Bhopal diary

Turncoats galore in Assembly bypolls
The Assembly bypoll is set to witness a battle of turncoats, as 25 former Congress MLAs are now contesting as BJP candidates. Many former BJP and BSP MLAs are contesting on Congress tickets as well. Some of  these seats  include Sanver, Surkhi, Gwalior East, Sumaoli, Ambah, Bamori and Pohri. In Bhander-SC seat of Datia, the candidates of BJP, Congress and BSP are turncoats. While, the BJP has fielded ex-Congress MLA Raksha Saroniya, the Congress has fielded former state BSP president Phool Singh Baraiya. The BSP gave ticket to former minister Mahendra Boddh.

Second Gen leaders renew family rivalry
In Hatpipliya seat of Dewas district, one of the 28 seats going to bypolls in Madhya Pradesh on November 3, the BJP and the Congress candidates are carrying forward the poll rivalry of their fathers. While the BJP has fielded Manoj Chaudhary, who won in 2018 as Congress candidate, the Congress has fielded Rajveer Singh Baghel. The fathers of both candidates had battled from the same seat against each other in 2008. Twelve years ago, Rajveer’s father Rajendra Baghel was the candidate of the Congress, while Manoj’s father Narayan Chaudhary had contested as Independent on being denied a Congress ticket. Chaudhary who had stood third in that election had played a key role in then minister and BJP candidate Deepak Joshi’s win.

Labourer finds 7.2 carat diamond in Panna
A labourer has extracted a 7.2 carat diamond at a mine in Panna district of Madhya Pradesh. Balbir Singh Yadav unearthed the diamond from a pit at Krishna Kalyanpur mine in Pati Bajaria area, official sources said. The precious stone has subsequently handed over to the mine office for being deposited with authorities. Though the actual value of the diamond will be decided by authorities, Balbir and his better half Laadwati have claimed that they have been informed that the extracted stone could fetch up to 
Rs 40 lakh. Once the precious stone will be auctioned, the couple will get the proceeds after deduction 
of 12.5% royalty.

When Gods were invoked at rally
At a recent bypoll rally of the ruling BJP in Raisen district, there was a rich invocation of gods and goddesses on a single stage. Campaigning for BJP candidate and MP health minister Dr Prabhuram Chowdhary, former chief minister Uma Bharti said “on seeing the party’s candidate on the first time only, I realized he is Bhairav’s avtar, who is son of Goddess Kali, who too is referred as Uma. So our candidate is like my son.” Seated on the same stage was another star campaigner CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who promptly said when Bhairav and Goddess Kali are there, how can Lord Shiva stay behind.

Anuraag singh
Our correspondent in Madhya Pradesh singhanuraag.jaurno@gmail.com