BJP ‘set to re-nominate’ Scindia loyalists in bypolls

All the 22 ex-Congress MLAs who along with their leader Jyotiraditya Scindia had quit the grand old party triggering collapse of Kamal Nath government in March this year, are most likely to be retained in the upcoming by-elections in their respective assembly constituencies, by the ruling BJP.

The 22 former MLAs who had resigned from the assembly reducing the Kamal Nath government to minority, later followed footsteps of their leader Mr Scindia and joined BJP.

Madhya Pradesh BJP chief V.D. Sharma had literally announced re-nomination of the 22 former MLAs including two ministers in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in the ensuing by-elections in their respective seats when he exhorted the BJP leaders and workers in these constituencies to ensure their victory.

Mr Sharma along with organisation secretary of state party Suhash Bhagat had interacted with senior

BJP leaders and workers in all these constituencies through video conference late on Thursday evening exhorting them to ensure victory of these former legislators in the ensuing by-elections, thus informally declaring their renomination in these seats.

“The 22 former MLAs had resigned from the assembly leading to fall of Kamal Nath government, thus paving the way for return of BJP in the power in the state”, the two BJP leaders told party workers said indicating their retention in the by-polls in their respective seats.

The development has however sparked resentment among a section of

BJP leaders particularly those who were aspirants for party ticket in the upcoming by-polls in these constituencies.

Former BJP MLA and senior party leader Deepak Joshi threatened to raise a banner of revolt against party leadership if he was not given ticket from Hatpipalia assembly seat he had represented in 2013-18, in the ensuing byelections in the constituency.

“I may explore other alternatives if I am not given ticket in the by-elections”, he warned.

BJP is most likely to renominate ex Congress MLA Manoj Choudhury who has joined BJP along with other 21 former MLAs after they resigned from Congress in March this year, in Hatpipalia in the upcoming by-elections.

Mr Joshi however on Friday made a U-turn saying that he was not going to leave the party and also declared his support to the BJP candidate in the bypolls in the constituency, after he met Mr Sharma here.

The by-elections to these assembly seats were yet to be announced.

◗ Madhya Pradesh BJP chief V.D. Sharma had literally announced renomination of the 22 former MLAs including two ministers in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in the ensuing by-elections in their respective seats when he exhorted the BJP leaders and workers in these constituencies to ensure their victory