The BJP in Madhya Pradesh has opened up its leadership and brought in several prominent figures to help them in the upcoming elections against the Congress. This move has surprised many within the party, as some MPs will be contesting in the Assembly polls. In the second list of nominees for 39 seats, three Union ministers and four other MPs were named as candidates. However, the party has not yet announced the constituency for Shivraj Singh Chouhan, their longest-serving Chief Minister, which could be an attempt to put pressure on him. The party has also kept the chief ministerial race open, as shown by the 76 candidates they have released so far.
Among the candidates, two ministers and three Lok Sabha MPs will be running in constituencies that were won by the Congress in the last Assembly polls. One of the ministers, Narendra Singh Tomar, was appointed as the convenor of the party’s election management committee in Madhya Pradesh. He has been an MP for three terms and an MLA for two terms before that. Another minister, Prahlad Singh Patel, has never been an MLA but has served as a Lok Sabha MP for five terms. Faggan Singh Kulaste, a tribal leader, was last an MLA in 1992 and has been elected to Lok Sabha six times.
Other MPs who will be contesting in the Assembly polls for the first time include Ganesh Singh and Rakesh Singh, both of whom have served four terms in Lok Sabha. Rakesh Singh has also been the state party president. These choices reflect the BJP’s acknowledgment of the strong challenge from the Congress and their desire to send out various messages.
The party’s decision to pit many big names in the contest is seen as a way to keep the leadership issue open. It also serves as a signal to supporters who may no longer be drawn to Shivraj Singh Chouhan but still support the party. Additionally, it is a message to senior leaders like Kailash Vijayvargiya, who have been seen as potential chief minister candidates, that they should prove themselves before their leadership claim is considered.
The BJP hopes that with all regional leaders, except Jyotiraditya Scindia, participating in the Assembly polls, it will minimize factional feuds and result in a unified campaign. The elections are expected to take place in November-December.
