Madhya Pradesh: Two rebel BJP MPs file nomination as independent candidates, won’t campaign for BJP

Two sitting BJP MPs have filed their nominations papers as independents for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections in the state after being denied ticket by the BJP..

Rebel sitting MPs Bodh Singh Bhagat and Gyan Singh are from Balaghat and Shahdol respectively. Although the senior leaders of the party are still trying to convince them to withdraw their nominations, all the efforts to pacify these MPs have so far proved to be futile . Former legislator of the BJP RD Prajapati too is all set to fight elections on the SP ticket.

Sources in the party said that Prajapati held talk with the leaders of the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Tuesday. He was seeking ticket from Tikamgarh. The BJP has fielded its MP and Union minister Virendra Kumar Khatik from Tikamgarh and this has enraged Prajapati who then decided to contest elections on the SP ticket. Besides the above three, some more state BJP leaders are gearing up to fight elections as independents or from other political parties.

The BJP has till now announced candidates for 21 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh. But some sitting MPs and a few senior leaders have decided to not campaign for the party in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

In Shahdol, sitting MP Gyan Singh, who was replaced by Himadri Singh, has announced that he will not campaign for the party in the tribal belt.

Sitting MP of Balaghat, Bodh Singh Bhagat has decided to campaign against the BJP candidate.

“The party has not reconsidered my name for the Lok Sabha ticket and I am not ready to accept it. I will not campaign for the party in the Shahdol region,” Gyan Singh told reporters on Tuesday.

“I have decided to fight against the BJP candidate. If I do not contest from Balaghat Lok Sabha seat, then I would ensure that the BJP candidate bites the dust in this election,” said Bodh Singh Bhagat. According to sources, the mayor of Morena and former MP Ashok Argal is still up in arms against the party leadership.

The BJP is facing dissent in Mandsaur, Sidhi and Bhind also where the party workers have refused to campaign for the official candidate.

Facing rebels in almost ten seats, the party has asked senior leaders to pacify the dissidents and ensure that none of the thus far senior leaders of the party contests the election against the official party candidate, said sources.

7 BJP Leaders Charged For Alleged Poll Code Breach in Jabalpur

Seven BJP leaders, including former Union minister Prahlad Patel and city mayor Swati Godbole, have been charged for allegedly violating the model code of conduct in Madhya Pradesh, officials said on Tuesday.

Besides, BJP's candidate from Jabalpur Lok Sabha seat, Rakesh Singh has also been issued a show cause notice for alleged violation of the poll code, district collector and returning officer Chhavi Bhardwaj said.

As per rules, only five persons including the party candidate are allowed to enter office of the returning officer during filing of nomination papers, she said.

But when Mr Singh filed his nomination on Monday, more than five people entered the office, she added.

Moreover, the people who were part of the BJP candidate's procession also entered within 100 metres of the district election office, which was a prohibited area, she said.

After examining CCTV footage of the election office, a case was registered at Omti police station on Monday night against Patel, Godbole, former ministers Ajay Vishnoi and Sharad Jain, MLAs Sushil Tiwari and Ashok Rohani, and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha state president Akhilesh Pandey, district superintendent of police Nimesh Agrawal said.

Prahlad Patel is the sitting BJP MP from Damoh seat in Madhya Pradesh.

Accordingto Nimesh Agrawal, the returning officer has also recommended suspension of Omti police station in-charge, city superintendent of police and Home Guards district commandant, who were responsible for the security of the area, for alleged dereliction of duty.

Former advocate general PK Kaurav, who is the counsel for BJP leaders, said they will move the High Court to challenge the action taken by the poll officer under IPC section 188 (disobedience to the order promulgated by public servant).