An interesting battle between the arch rivals, the ruling BJP and opposition Congress, is on the cards in Ujjain parliamentary constituency which is considered to be a saffron fort.
The BJP was victorious for the sixth consecutive time from this seat, before Congress’ Premchand Guddu, an outsider, penetrated the citadel in 2009 elections. But the saffron party is yet to forget the humiliation and is leaving no stone unturned to recapture the seat this time and has fielded Chintamani Malviya, who is associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Twelve candidates are in the fray and besides the two principal parties, Aam Aadmi Party’s Anita Hindoliya and Bahujan Samaj Party’s Ramprasad Java are trying to make their presence felt.Former Union minister Satyanarayan Jatia won from this constituency from 1980 to 2004 in a row before facing defeat in 2009. As Jaita became a Rajya Sabha member, the BJP preferred a new nominee in Prof Malviya.
Apart from the national issues such as price rise and inflation, the BJP is also raising the issue of non-availability of funds from the Centre, for the Simhastha, one of the greatest religious congregations, slated to be held in the ancient temple town in 2016.
The BJP also won all the Assembly seats that come under Ujjain district during the last Assembly polls. Ministers and MlAs campaigned vigorously in favour of Prof Malviya. Besides, the RSS also launched a secret campaign in every household in the constituency.
On the other hand, the Congress is also not lagging behind as the party highlighted the issues of corruption, shortage of power, pitiable roads, unemployment, lack of industries during more than ten years of BJP rule in the State.As far as the campaigning is concerned, no star campaigner from either the BJP or the Congress took part this time. However, for the Congress, film actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar, Congress candidate from Meerut Nagma and Bollywood actress Amisha Patel canvassed for the party.
According to official sources, 15,25,292 electorate are expected to exercise their franchise in Thursday’s polling.Meanwhile, the famous ‘Panchkoshi’ yatra would be taken out here on the polling day and the administration urged the people to cast their vote first and then take part in the religious function. Top State police officials are also keeping a close watch on the law and order situation in this trouble-prone constituency and arrested several notorious criminals before the polling, sources said.