Having suffered a major jolt by mass exodus of its MLAs in March this year, Congress party in Madhya Pradesh has surprised BJP by announcing first list of first 15 candidates for 27 Assembly by-polls even as the schedule for these by-elections is yet to be announced by Election Commission.
The first set of candidates comes as a mix bag with the grand old party opting for some old guards, young candidates and some turncoats as well. Former MP Premchand Guddu who recently returned from BJP has been fielded from Sanwer.
Out of 16 poll-bound seats in Gwalior region, the party has announced names of nine candidates including Ravindra Singh Tomar from Dimani who had lost in 2013 assembly polls, Satyaprakash Shekarwar who is a former MLA and former State head of the BSP, Mevaram Jatav who had also lost as Congress candidate from Gohad in 2013 polls.
Sunil Sharma, former close aide of Jyotiraditya Scindia and party district general secretary Gwalior, too has been offered ticket from Gwalior seat where Scindia had opted for Pradyumn Singh Tomar instead of Sharma as candidate in 2018 Assembly polls.
Suresh Raje, a former BJP leader and a close relative of now Shivraj Minister and the former Congress MLA Imarti Devi has been fielded from Dabra seat.