Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Election Commission has announced the poll schedule, political parties have turned on its rigorous campaign mode and BJP has released four lists comprising 136 candidates so far. With three Union Ministers-- including Narendra Singh Tomar, and four MPs in the list, BJP has proved one thing: Nothing is unexpected!
Now, the candidate lists released by the top BJP brass have sparked discussions on the role Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will be given for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh Election. Whether he will be the star campaigner or will be fielded to contest polls, remains a mystery!
Shivpuri or Gwalior East?
According to political analysts, Scindia may contest elections from either Shivpuri seat, which his aunt Yashodhara Raje Scindia vacated recently, or the Gwalior East assembly constituency. BJP is yet to announce candidates from these seats. MP sports minister Yashodhara Raje cited health reasons for her exit from the state legislature polls recently.
Since Scindia’s crossover to BJP, which led to the fall of the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government, the saffron party has been trying hard to accommodate all his men in the state legislature. In the past few months, several Scindia loyalists including Samander Patel, Rakesh Gupta have re-joined Congress claiming that they were being ignored by the BJP.
7 Scindia loyalist ministers fielded
Hpwerer, the BJP central leadership did manage to keep some of the Scindia supporters in its fold, especially the sitting ministers. In its fourth list, seven ministers loyal to the union minister got tickets. They are energy minister Pradyuman Singh Tomar (Gwalior), water resources minister Tulsi Silavat (Sanwer, Indore district); industrial policy and investment promotion minister Rajvardhan Singh Dattigoan (Badnawar, Dhar district); public health and family welfare minister Prabhuram Chaudhary (Sanchi, Raisen district), revenue minister Govind Singh Rajput (Surkhi, Sagar district), food minister Bisahulal Singh (Anuppur, district of same name), and environment minister Hardeep Singh Dang (Suwasra, Mansaur district).
It will be now interesting to find out whether the Rajya Sabha MP, who was defeated in 2019 Lok Sabha elections by BJP’s KP Yadav will make way into Madhya Pradesh politics.
