Lok Sabha elections: Rebel Bodh Singh & BSP’s Kankar Munjare may spoil the party for BJP

BHOPAL:

Balaghat

, the only

Lok Sabha

seat in

Madhya Pradesh

infested by leftwing extremism, has leaned towards the BJP in the past few elections.


To be precise, Balaghat has elected a BJP candidate in the past five general elections successively.

But, the BJP finds its task cut out this time around, thanks to the rebellion from within. Incumbent BJP MP Bodh Singh, who was denied ticket, has filed nomination as an independent candidate and he could turn the tables on the saffron party.

BJP has replaced Bodh Singh with Dhal Singh Bisen a former MLA.

Both, Bodh Singh and Bisen come from the powerful ‘Pawar’ community, which has dominated politics in Balaghat eternally. The other two dominating communities from the constituency are Lodhis, SCs and STs. In an interesting development, nomination papers filed by BSP candidate Doman Singh Nagpure were rejected while former MLA

Kankar

Munjare, who has been a constant factor in Balaghat elections for years, is again in the fray as SP-BSP joint candidate. Although Munjare is now in to the SP, he is fighting on BSP’s election symbol .

Balaghat, which has thrown up maverick but strong politicians in Madhya Pradesh politics consistently, comprises eight assembly segments- six in

Balaghat district

and two in adjoining Seoni. The constituency has 17.61 lakhstorng electorate and three of its assembly segments-Baiher, Lanji and Paraswada- are Naxalite-affected.

Congress candidate from the constituency Madhu

Bhagat

also hails from “Pawar” community and had unsuccessfully contested the December 2018 assembly election from Paraswada constituency. Samajwadi party leader Kankar Munjare, who had finished second after the BJP candidate, who had played a key role in deciding the final outcome of assembly election result from Paraswada, could do it again in the Lok Sabha election.

“Munjare as a candidate supported by SP and BSP, both of whom had polled considerable number of votes in the last election, could prove to be a game changer,” said a local journalist.

On April 12, which was the last day for withdrawal of nomination for candidates, BJP rebel didn’t withdraw his candidature despite attempts to placate him bythe party leadership, thus raising concerns in the saffron camp.

There are 23 candidates in fray at Balaghat, now.