Bhopal parliamentary constituency is witnessing the most low profile election of its history, it is a battle of minnows in this lok Sabha constituency which was once represented by Congress stalwart Shankar Dayal Sharma and more recently by the BJP’s Uma Bharti and Kailash Joshi.
This time the BJP has fielded its State office secretary and former Corporator Alok Sanjar against Bhopal district Congress Committee president and former MlA PC Sharma.Interestingly, both the BJP and the Congress are dealing with internal trouble over fielding light-weights in the State capital. For both parties, this election is a prestige issue, but the BJP appears to have a clear edge given its strong organisational presence in the State.
While Sharma’s candidature led to some heartburn in the Congress, Sanjar’s nomination had its own share of drama. Sanjar was selected because he was apparently the least controversial candidate in the BJP.Alok Sanjar while talking to The Pioneer said, “I had not even dreamt of being the BJP candidate for lok Sabha elections. My selection demonstrates that the BJP care for a common worker.”
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressing a meeting said the Bhopal seat is key to upholding the pride of party workers. “It is important for BJP workers from Bhopal to ensure a massive victory for Sanjar because an ordinary party worker is contesting,” he said in a meeting of BJP activists.
Chouhan does not forget to mention BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. “Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister only when Alok Sanjar will get elected from Bhopal,” he said.Faced with the BJP’s feverish campaign, Sharma too is pulling out all stops to give Sanjar a tough fight. Sharma, who is considered close to senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh, has been active in Bhopal’s politics for almost three decades.