Nail-biting finish to BJP vs BJP fight at janpad

BHOPAL: Factional feud within ruling BJP came to fore on Monday during election of janpad president in Burhanpur when son of state BJP president Nandkumar Singh Chouhan and brother of party MLA and former minister Archana Chitnis came face to face in support of respective candidates. While Chouhan's son Harshvardhan stood up for his candidate Mamta Patil, Chitnis' brother Amit Mishra canvassed for Kishore Patil.
There were 25 members of the janpad panchayat, who had to cast their votes to elect a president and Kishore Patil won by a margin of five votes. The election by itself would have gone unnoticed had it not been a contest between two BJP supported contestants. It became even more interesting with state BJP president's candidate losing to Chitnis' supporter Kishore Patil.
Former minister for school education Archana Chitnis fell out of favour with influential members of the state leadership and after two terms of ministerial responsibilities was denied a portfolio and placement in the state cabinet after BJP returned to power in December 2013. Obviously, Chitnis had a point to prove when the contest was in her own area of influence in Burhanpur, constituency she represents in the state assembly.
After winning the election, Kishore Patil told reporters, "I have been working for six months under Chitnis didi's guidance. She wanted someone reliable and responsible who would work for betterment of the people." Archana Chitnis said, "The election looked difficult, but wasn't so."
Same situation of a BJP versus BJP contest is likely to erupt on Thursday when the president of the district panchayat is to be elected. If another Chitnis candidate wins, it could damage the position of state BJP chief Nandkumar Singh Chouhan before his Burhanpur workers.