After the Congress has nominated former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Digvijay Singh, from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, the BJP is chalking out a fresh strategy to retain its bastion of the last three decades.

Bhopal has been strong bastion of the BJP, but in the recently held assembly elections, out of eight assembly segments, the Congress has wrested three. Besides, in remaining five seats, the BJP witnessed less margins.

Bhopal constituency is spread over eight assembly segments, namely Berasia, Bhopal Uttar, Narela, Bhopal Dakshin-Paschhim, Bhopal Madhya, Govindpura, Huzur and Sehore. The BJP has been holding this seat since 1989.

Officially, the BJP leaders has dismissed that Digvijay could pose any challenge to the party in the constituency. However, in the present situation, the BJP is working on a different strategy over selection of candidates.

According to rumours in political circles, former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan might be in reckoning as a contestant, as Muslim voters in the constituency view him as a moderate saffron leader.

While talking to media persons on Sunday, State BJP president Rakesh Singh said that he cannot say anything right now. BJP’s central leadership would decide the candidate, he added.

Whether former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan would be fielded from Bhopal, he said, the central leadership will decide whether to field him in Lok Sabha polls or not. Notably, Chouhan has already expressed his willingness not to contest the election.

He claimed that Digvijay would sure lose the election. He is not that figure who can win elections, he added. Factually, the Congress had last won the Bhopal seat in 1984.