Suspense continues: BJP mulls Sadhvi Pragya or Shivraj from Bhopal

BHOPAL: The delay in naming candidates for the remaining eight

Lok Sabha seats

in the state by BJP has left senior leaders and ticket aspirants baffled. Prominent among them are the party strongholds of Bhopal,

Indore and Vidisha.

BJP sources said with Congress pitting senior leader Digvijaya Singh from Bhopal, the is taking no chances and is contemplating fielding senior leaders from these seats.

Party sources said the party has zeroed in on two prominent names in each constituency and a final decision would be taken soon. In Bhopal, the party plans to field

Sadhvi Pragya

Bharti or former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is also named in the panel for Vidisha Lok Sabha seat. Similarly, for Indore seat, the party has selected names of national general secretary Kailash Vijayavargiya and mayor Malini Gaur.

A final decision on the names will be taken by the BJP president Amit Shah. In Indore, giving ticket to Kailash Vijayavargiya will divert the leader's attention from West Bengal where the party has planned to wrest 25 crucial seats from the Trinamool Congress. The party is also in dilemma to field Malini Gaur from Indore as she is already holding two posts, an MLA and mayor of Indore.

In Bhopal, speculations on the nomination of Sadhvi Pragya were again rife with BJP leaders seeking a strong contender against Digvijaya Singh, who is a die-hard opponent of saffron groups including the RSS.

"We have two names each from Indore and Bhopal seats,” said party sources.

Party sources said delay in the announcement of names has affected party’s campaign plans. In Bhopal, Congress candidate Digvijaya Singh has already completed the first phase of campaigning covering more than half of the total 21 lakh voters.

As the nomination for the first phase of election completed on March 9, all the political parties have finalised the nominees for the second phase of polling which is to be held on May 6. As per the EC schedule, seven Lok Sabha seats will go for polling in the second phase in the state including - Tikamgarh (SC), Damoh, Khajuraho, Satna, Rewa, Hoshangabad and Betul (ST). The BJP has declared names for almost all seats barring Khajuraho which will come very soon, said sources.

The nominations for seven Lok Sabha constituencies going for poll in the second phase in MP, began on April 10. The last date of filing nomination for the second phase is April 18 while, date of withdrawal is April 22.

BJP leadership is yet to announce names on six seats apart from Indore and Bhopal. These are Khajuraho, Vidisha, Guna-Shivpuri, Sagar, Dhar and Ratlam-Jhabua seats.

In Guna, the party is mulling to field Rajya Sabha member Prabhat Jha against Congress stalwart Jyotiraditya Scindia, who name has been finalized, but yet to be announced. The BJP has former minister Jaibhan Singh Pavaiyya as a stand-by. The party has also finalised name of former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan from Vidisha but, a final announcement is awaited, said sources.