Digvijaya Singh challenges PM Modi to a duel in Bhopal

BHOPAL: Congress stalwart Digvijaya Singh on Monday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to contest against him from

Bhopal

Lok Sabha seat.

Asked if the contest would be tough, especially if BJP fields former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan or Sadhvi Pragya Bharti against him, Digvijaya said: “I will be happy if Chouhan contests from Bhopal. And if BJP has a bigger leader, then he should be fielded.”

He then specified, “The Prime Minister should contest against me from Bhopal. And whether Shivraj Singh or Sadhvi, I am ready to contest against anyone.”

BJP saw this as an affront to the PM. Party national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya tweeted, “Mr Banthadar returns. @digvijaya_28 has challenged honourable Prime Minister @narendramodi to contest from Bhopal. Competition should be between equals. You don’t have the stature to compete with Modiji. Madhya Pradesh workers are enough to defeat you.” ‘Bantadhar’ is the jibe BJP used to attack Digvijaya in the 2003 assembly polls.

The BJP is peeved also because Digvijaya had told a news channel on Monday night: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not bigger than what Atal Bihari Vajpayee was in 2004. Vajpayeeji was a better orator.”

Digvijaya said that the decision to field him from Bhopal, instead of his home turf Rajgarh, was taken by AICC president Rahul Gandhi and chief minister Kamal Nath. “I am an obedient worker of the party,” he said, adding: “I was state Congress president for seven years, chief minister of Madhya Pradesh for 10 years and minister for five years. With such experience, I am comfortable contesting anywhere in the state.”

Asked how tough the Bhopal challenge is, since the constituency has been a BJP stronghold for over three decades, Digvijaya Singh said, “No election is easy. Every election is a challenge.” He is confident of winning Bhopal even if Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was chief minister for 13 years, is fielded against him. “Chouhan has to battle anti-incumbency, I don’t,” he remarked.