Madhya Pradesh: Suspense now over BJP citadel Indore and Kamal Nath’s turf Chhindwara
New Indian ExpressBHOPAL: With the BJP naming candidates for 24 Lok Sabha seats of Madhya Pradesh on Saturday evening, suspense now prevails about the five remaining seats, including key Chhindwara, Indore and Ujjain-SC seats. Party is mulling on host of faces, including current mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava or ex-mayor-cum-current MLA Malini Gaur or field a new female face, where available options, include first time Rajya Sabha member Kavita Patidar, social activist and state BJP spokesperson Dr Divya Gupta, spiritual guru Late Bhaiyyuji Maharaj’s wife Aisi Deshmukh or local leader Mala Thakur. With the chapter on Kamal Nath and local MP son Nakul Nath’s possible switch to the BJP now nearly over, the BJP is looking to field a strong candidate from Chhindwara, which has been Nath family’s pocket-borough since 1980 and was the lone seat won by the Congress in 2019 polls. The list marked the return for four-time former MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan to the LS battlefield after 20 years from his political ‘karmabhoomi’ Vidisha, while union minister and RS member Jyotiraditya Scindia was named candidate from Guna seat which he lost to BJP’s Dr KP Singh Yadav in 2019 polls.