Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls: Many sons waiting to rise on political horizon 

Children of several senior leaders of both the BJP and the Congress are in the race for getting tickets to contest the November-December polls.

BHOPAL: Dynasty politics has deep roots in Indian politics and Madhya Pradesh is no exception. With Assembly elections approaching, many sons are waiting to rise on the horizon of state of state politics. So are daughters, nephews, nieces and other relatives of politicians from various parties. Children of several senior leaders of both the BJP and the Congress are in the race for getting tickets to contest the November-December polls. Among them are BJP national general secretary and former MP minister Kailash Vijayvargiya’s son Akash Vijayvargiya and eight-time Indore MP and Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan’s son Mandhar Mahajan.

While Mandhar’s name is doing the rounds in party circles for Indore-3 seat, presently represented by BJP’s Usha Thakur, Akash is being seen as a major contender from one of three seats — Indore-2, Rau or Mhow, a seat currently held by his father. Akash had played a key role in campaigning for Kailash Vijayvargiya in 2013 polls, which he had won by a narrow margin.Also doing the rounds of BJP circles is the name of Eklavya Gaur, son of sitting Indore-4 MLA and city mayor Malini Gaur, who is said to be not so keen on contesting the next Assembly polls.

Senior Congress leader Mahesh Joshi’s son Deepak ‘Pintu’ Joshi could be the party’s choice from Indore-3 seat. In Jhabua and Alirajpur district, those vying for Congress tickets include Ratlam-Jhabua MP and former Union minister Kantilal Bhuria’s son Dr Vikrant Bhuria and niece Kalawati Bhuria. Vikrant, a doctor, had carried out Adivasi Chetna Yatra a few months ago to boost his poll prospects and eyeing to contest from Jhabua or Thandla seat, while Kalawati, presently the district panchayat chairperson, is eyeing to contest either from Jhabua or Petlawad seat of Jhabua district or Jobat seat of Alirajpur district.

In adjoining Ratlam district, contenders for Congress ticket from Alot include former Ujjain MP Premchand Guddu’s son Ajit Borasi, who had lost to Union minister Thawarhchand Gehlot’s son Jitendra Gehlot in 2013. According to BJP sources, sons of other senior leaders, including Sudhir Yadav (Sagar MP Laxminarayan Yadav’s son) and Mudit Shejwar (MP minister Gaurishankar Shejwar’ son) are in the race for Banda seat of Sagar district and Sanchi seat of Raisen district, respectively. Son of MP’s minister of state Harsh Singh is also said to be in the running from one of the seats in Satna.

Sources added that Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar’s son Devendra Singh Tomar could be a possible candidate from a Tomar-dominated constituency of Morena or Gwalior district. Agriculture minister Gourishanker Bisen is believed to be lobbying for party ticket for his daughter from Balaghat, in case he is denied ticket.

When contacted by The Sunday Standard, state BJP’s chief spokesperson Deepak Vijayvargiya said the decision on finalising candidates on all 230 seats would be taken by the party keeping in mind the winnability criterion. “Being a senior leader’s son or daughter neither boosts nor hampers anyone’s chances to contest on party ticket,” he maintained. State Congress spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said being the son or daughter of a politician wasn’t a handicap, but it would be the chances of winning that would decide who contests from a particular seat on the party ticket. 

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