BJP, Congress keep PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi away from campaigning in Bhopal

BHOPAL: Prime minister Narendra Modi and Congress president, Rahul Gandhi kept themselves away from campaigning for

Bhopal

Lok Sabha- the high-profile seat, for their respective candidates. Both the leaders came on bordering Bhopal LS seats- Bina in Sagar (Rahul) on May 9 and Itarsi in Hoshangabad (Modi) on May 1, but dodged Bhopal.


Ironically, BJP and Congress state leaders maintained their top brass did not come, as they thought, that the big leaders campaign on tough seats while Bhopal has been a cake walk for them. Amit Shah did a roadshow for Pragya on May 8, but Modi, who was expected to come to Bhopal on last day of the campaign on May 10, cancelled his visit.

Party leaders are now clarifying it was never in plan of Modi to visit Bhopal. Similarly, tentative visit of Rahul Gandhi to Bhopal was never confirmed by the party.

For Pragya, former CM Uma Bharti addressed a rally while Shivraj Singh Chouhan did a number of road shows and rallies for her.

Digvijaya Singh by and large campaigned on his own, barring a rallies of star campaigners like Navjot Singh Sidhu, Shatrughan Sinha, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, and Computer Baba, besides, chief minister Kamal Nath on May 3.

How much Yechury's speech on Hindu violence and Computer Baba’s hatha yoga helped the former CM would only be known on May 23.

Local leaders are working for him but Rahul Gandhi in his rallies in Madhya Pradesh has not talked about Bhopal Lok Sabha seat or Digvijaya Singh. When Modi came to Itarsi in Hoshangabad district, he twice took a dig at Digvijay Singh and said people of Bhopal would never forgive him.

BJP state spokesperson Rajneesh Agrawal said we are winning Bhopal with a comfortable margin. "PM's rallies are decided on important hubs where two to three seats combine. Amit Shah’s road show was a hit. All state leaders are working here and we are confident," he added.

State Congress media cell coordinator Narendra Saluja said, "Digvijay Singh is himself party’s star campaigner. Central leadership (Rahul Gandhi) is focused on tough seats. Party president did not come since we are comfortably winning Bhopal seat," he added.

However, political analyst Girija Shankar has a different take. He said, "why Modi or Rahul Gandhi would come to Bhopal? In earlier elections Bhopal was a laboratory for BJP but this time it is laboratory for Congress by fielding Digvijay Singh. Congress is generally portrayed as anti-Hindu. But Digvijaya has taken Hindutva line by his temple run in this election. If he wins, Congress would change his strategy in the entire country. BJP fielding Sadhvis is no surprise as in past too BJP fielded Sadhvis," he added.

Former MP CM, Singh had a lead in campaigning over Pragya since his candidature was decided over 20 days ahead of before BJP's decision to field Sadhvi was finalised, and he worked with well-planned strategy.

Sadhvi’s campaign started late, but was under supervision of RSS and BJP. She also faced a 72-hour campaign ban by EC for her remarks on Mumbai martyr, Hemant Karkare. Sadhvi's campaign has been focused on fight between dharma and adharma.

Campaign for Bhopal LS seat ended on Friday evening and the polling would be held on May 12.