Even as the BJP in Madhya Pradesh is yet to take a final call on its prospective candidates from all nine Assembly constituencies in Indore, the party leadership appears to be in a fix over declaration of its candidates from at least four Assembly constituencies of the district.
The four Assembly constituencies, the party is facing a dissention within its rank and files include Assembly constituency No 1 currently being represented by the BJP MlA Sudarshan Gupta. Majority of the party leaders and workers from this constituency have raised a banner of revolt against its sitting MlA and demand his replacement by other suitable party candidate from the constituency.
Even before the schedule of Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh was announced by the Election Commission, troubles had started from Assembly constituency No 1 where majority of BJP leaders and workers were found to be up in arms against the Gupta and accordingly urged the party’s higher-ups not to give him party ticket in the ensuing Assembly elections for his alleged acts of omissions and commissions and not giving due respects to the party workers in the constituency.
Seasoned party leader Satyanarayan Sattan, who was in his political hibernation, suddenly became a rallying point of anti Gupta lobby. leaders and workers associated with anti Gupta campaign in the constituency sometime back had gathered at the residence of senior party leader Sattan asking him to stake his claim for the party ticket from this constituency as they did not want Gupta to be allotted party ticket this time. In the past fortnight, anti Gupta campaign in the constituency has gained further strength with the party leaders and workers opposed to his candidature, on Monday taking out a rally in the constituency, demanding denial of party ticket to Gupta from this constituency in the ensuing assembly elections.
According to sources, the party also appears to be in a deep dilemma over declaration of its candidate from Mhow and Assembly constituency no. 3. Rumours are rife about possible shift of Assembly constituency for Industries Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya from Mhow to Assembly constituency No 3, currently being represented by the Congress MlA Ashwin Joshi. Party feels that given strong clout being enjoyed by the Congress MlA in Assembly constituency No 3, only a candidate of Vijayvargiya’s calibre could pose a challenge to him, if the party wants to wrest this seat from the Congress.
Besides, Vijayvargiya, candidature of senior party leader and former MlA Gopikrishna Neema, a close confidante of senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, is also doing round from this constituency.
In case, Vijayvargiya is fielded from Assembly constituency No 3, the party will have to go for a formidable alternative to field its candidate from Mhow from where the Congress will likely to field its old war horse Aantar Singh Darbar. Though the party has options to field either Kavita Patidar or Radheshyam Patidar from this prestigious Assembly segment as they happen to be local candidates, it is the party which ultimately will take a final call on this seat.
Similarly, the BJP is finding itself in a predicament in Assembly constituencies No 4 and Sanwer. In Assembly constituency No 4, currently being represented by sitting BJP MlA Malini Gaud, though the party has tried to nullify the claim of other senior party leader from the constituency city BJP president Shankar lalwani by awarding him with plum post of the prestigious IDA chairman, there are other strong contenders from this constituency including the State women BJP president Anju Makhija. Makhija from being the Sindhi community has also started lobbying to stake claim for the party ticket from this constituency as the constituency has a formidable presence of Sindhi votes.
Sanwer Assembly segment is another constituency from where the party is facing dearth of a suitable candidates who can pose challenge to the sitting Congress MlA Tulsiram Silawat.