It is likely that the upcoming Ratlam-Jhabua lok Sabha by-poll would have the impact of the Petlawad blast incident that claimed 89 lives last week.
The blast incident is more in the limelight due to politics by both Congress and BJP leaders alleging main accused Rajendra Kasawa's association with political parties.
The Congress leaders claimed that Kasawa has been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and till the incident took place, he was an active member of the BJP.
However, the BJP State president Nandkumar Singh Chouhan has alleged that Kasawa was in the Congress and linked him with former PCC chief Kantilal Bhuria's son Vikrant Bhuria.
State Congress president Arun Yadav has said the BJP government has been exposed by the September 12 blast caused by mining explosives stockpiled in a building that ripped through a crowded area near Petlawad bus stand.
He said the Petlawad incident has exposed the BJP Government totally, especially its claim of good governance. Earlier also the Congress was very strong in the tribal-dominated seat and is sure to wrest it from the BJP.
The State Congress chief spokesman KK Mishra has claimed that the countdown for ending BJP rule in the State will begin from the Ratlam-Jhabua by-poll, where Congress' victory is almost certain.
The bypoll to Ratlam-Jhabua seat has been necessitated following the demise of sitting BJP MP Dilip Singh Bhuria. However, BJP denied that the bypoll will be affected by the incident and said the party will retain the seat. It also dismissed suggestions that the bypoll was weighing on Chief Minister Shivraj Singh's mind as he visited Petlawad twice after the blast despite being heckled on the first day.
It is certain that besides Shivraj being sensitive visited the houses of the victims in far-flung villages, but the fact that by-polls are scheduled and BJP needs to wrest it, cannot be denied.
He not only enhanced the ex gratia to Rs5 lakh to the kin of the deceased, but also announced a slew of measures to rehabilitate the survivors. "It is not correct to say that BJP Government is taking care of the victims of explosion with an eye on the lok Sabha bypoll."
However, State BJP spokesman Vishwas Sarang claimed that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh visited the victims to share the pain and agony of those who lost their kin in the explosion and not to draw political mileage.
The CM also visited 17 villages and personally went to console those who have lost their family members.
Sarang confidently said that whenever the by-election is held, the BJP will win. "As far as the byelection is concerned, firstly, it has not yet been announced, but whenever it will take place, the BJP is going to win as it has a very strong active booth network in the entire constituency. The explosion has its effect only in Petlawad area," he claimed.