Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Not star leaders but state bigwigs to campaign as MP's 9 remaining seats to vote on May 13

Bhopal: With the remaining eight parliamentary seats out of total 29 in Madhya Pradesh are scheduled to go for polls in the fourth phase on May 13, the campaigning is likely to be centered around state leaders instead of high-profile star campaigners. The tribal dominated Malwa-Nimad region (8 seats) has already witnessed political buzz amid touring by senior leaders in early phases of election campaigning.

Interestingly, of the total 10 reserved seats in the state, five come under Malwa-Nimad region. Here the 3 general seats are Indore, Mandsaur and Khandwa while other five seats namely Dewas (SC), Ujjain (SC), Ratlam-Jhabua (ST), Dhar (ST) and Khargone (ST) are reserved for Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe category.

The state leaders including BJP leader and CM Dr Mohan Yadav, Kailash Vijayvargiya of BJP and PCC chief Jitu Patwari, LoP in assembly Umang Singhar and Kantilal Bhuria of Congress hail from this region and will be campaigning for their party candidates. Besides, former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan will also address public meetings and road shows.

Congress veteran leader Digvijaya Singh is set to join the campaign trail with other leaders after taking a break now that his seat has finished voting. Singh is contesting Lok Sabha elections from his home constituency Rajgarh which went to poll in the 3rd phase on May 7. Senior Congress leader and tribal face Kantilal Bhuria is also in the fray from Ratlam-Jhabua seats against BJP’s Anita Nagar Singh Chouhan.

According to observers, the Malwa-Nimad region is considered a stronghold of BJP, however it is facing a tough challenge from Congress in three seats particularly Dhar, Ratlam-Jhabua and Khargone. BJP has fielded former MP Savitri Thakur against Congress tribal leader Radheshyam Muwail and Gajendra Patel of BJP is contesting against Porlal Kharte of Congress. The BAP (Bharat Adivasi Party) party MLA (Sailana assembly seat) Kamleshwar Dondiyar, part of Ratlam-Jhabua Parliamentary constituency also has some influence among the tribal population. The sole demand of BAP is the creation of a separate Bheel state comprising some part of MP/Gujarat and Rajasthan combined.

Meanwhile political drama unfolding in Indore earlier has reportedly lost its sheen e of election. The withdrawal of nomination by Congress candidate Akshay Kanti Bamb at the last minute allowed the saffron party BJP an easy uncontested win.