With the announcement of former PCC chief Suresh Pachouri's candidature from Bhojpur, his political career is at stake. This will be second election of his lifetime.
Pachouri is considered as one of those regional satraps who have camps of their followers in Madhya Pradesh. like other senior party leaders, Pachouri had also been demanding ticket for his nephew Gaurav Pachouri from Hoshangabad. However, at the last moment, instead of Gaurav, the high command announced to field Suresh Pachouri. This might have come as a surprise in political circles, but Pachouri took this as an order of the high command and reached Bhopal on Wednesday night. He told mediapersons that his party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have given him opportunity to contest election from the constituency he was born and brought up. "I would try to come upto their expectations," he added.
Party insiders claim that this would probably be the last chance for Pachouri to prove himself. If he looses, he would have no value in New Delhi and his political career would come to an end.
leaders from both BJP and Congress feel that Pachouri has been fielded under a conspiracy out of groupism in the Congress, but Pachouri himself feels that this is an order of the high command.
No matter whether Congress forms Government in Madhya Pradesh or not, but the outcome of Bhojpur constituency would decide the future of Pachouri.
In the year 1999, Pachouri had contested lok Sabha elections against former chief minister Uma Bharati from Bhopal and got defeated with records margin of 1,68,864 votes.
He has been to the Rajya Sabha four terms from Madhya Pradesh and later, he was appointed as PCC chief in Madhya Pradesh. The last Assembly election was contested during his tenure as PCC chief. The Congress failed to win the elections, but the seats of the Opposition party increased to 71 that was considered as an achievement of Pachouri. He was also union minister for couple of years in the Manmohan Singh cabinet.
During review of the elections, it was clearly found that Pachouri could not get desired help from other regional satraps, due to which the BJP came to power second term with thumping majority.