BJP candidates from six Assembly constituencies in Indore district filed their nomination papers on Thursday. Those who filed their nomination papers today included Sudarshan Gupta from Indore – 1, Ramesh Mendola from Indore – 2, Usha Thakur from Indore – 3, Malini Gaud from Indore – 4, Mahendra Hardia from Indore – 5 and Jeetu Jirati from Rau Assembly constituencies.
Besides six BJP candidates, three Congress nominees including Vishal Agnihotri from Indore – 1, Mohan Sengar from Indore – 2 and Pankaj Singhvi from Indore-6 assembly constituencies also filed their nomination papers.
Earlier all the six BJP candidates accompanied by their large number of supporters reached Rajwada by taking out rallies from their respective constituencies. After reaching Rajwada, the party candidates garlanded the portraits of Ahilya Mata and from their left for the collectorate in an open jeep where the party candidates accompanied by their four supporters each filed their nomination papers before the returning officers. During the filing of nomination papers, state industry minister and BJP candidates from Mhow, Kailash Vijayvargiya was also present.
Besides, the BJP candidates, Congress candidates from Indore – 1, Indore – 2 and Indore – 5 assembly constituencies – vis-a-vas Vishal Agnihotri, Mohan Sengar and Pankaj Sanghvi also filed their nomination papers. Of these Congress candidates, nomination papers of the Congress candidate from Indore – 2, Mohan Sengar were not accepted for his failure to fill the B forms of nomination papers. Of the three Congress nominees who filed their nomination papers today, Vishal Agnihotri from Indore – 1 and Mohan Sengar from Indore – 2 assembly segments are facing a rebellion from their own party rank and file following denial of tickets to other top contenders from the party from these constituencies. Kamlesh Khandelwal, who was being projected as the strongest contender for the Congress ticket from Indore – 1 and who was denied ticket by the party, also filed his nomination papers today as a dissident Congress candidate from Indore – 1 assembly segment.
Corporator Chintu Chowkse, another top contender for the Congress ticket from Indore-2 assembly segment, will also likely to file his nomination papers from the Indore-2 assembly segment as a dissident Congress candidate on Friday. Apparently peeved over allotment of party ticket to Mohan Sengar, Chowkse along with his supporters has also raised a banner of revolt in the party. In this regard, a meeting of the dissident Congress workers from Indore-2 assembly segment was convened by Raju Bhadoria, a confidante of Chowkse on Thursday evening and a decision was taken to field Chowkse as an independent candidate from Indore-2 assembly segment. Besides Indore-1 and Indore-2, the Congress is also facing dissension against its party’s nominee Suresh Minda from Indore – 4 assembly segment. If sources are to be believed, Surjeet Chhadha, another top contender for the party ticket from Indore-4, is also contemplating to file his nomination forms from this constituency.
Dissension in the Congress rank and file in three assembly constituencies of Indore – vis-a-vas Indore – 1, Indore – 2 and Indore – 4 if not sorted out by the party higher-ups may spoil chances of the Congress candidates.