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Jabalpur region set to steal limelight: BJP faces stiff competition

Jabalpur region set to steal limelight: BJP faces stiff competition

By Nirendra Dev
Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh), Nov 16 (UNI) Elections in Jabalpur district - which houses politically sensitive constituencies like Jabalpur Purba and Sihora - are crucial in more ways than one.
Sihora assembly segment reserved for Scheduled Tribe is under BJP since 2003 and similarly in Jabalpur Purba, a seat reserved for Scheduled Caste, the incumbent legislator is also a saffron party leader.
Pushing up its determined battle to wrest power in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress party's poll managers are realising that the challenge in dealing with the known saffron bastions is tough enough.
Local Congress workers admit that BJP's support base penetrates into all sections of society - including all castes and age.
Therefore, they say, the Congress party has tried to focus on youth voters who are disillusioned with the BJP governments both in the state and at the Centre - for lack of joblessness and other issues like fuel price hike.
"Right from the planning stage, the Congress party has tried to focus on youth. The rallies and meetings have gone down well and in fact Rahul Gandhi's Jabalpur visit on October 6 was highly successful," said one Congress booth level worker Manjit Singh.
The Congress president had staged a 8-km long roadshow after paying prayers at River Narmada.
Several Congress workers claim a large number of 'young BJP workers' who were with the saffron dispensation till 2014-15 have also defected to the Congress camp. "River Narmada is held in high esteem and once Rahul Gandhiji showed respect to the river, locals were impressed," says trader Ajit Kumar.
“Ours will be a confident journey this time. The entire electoral arithmetic in the Jabalpur district including rural pockets favours Congress. We will do well in this district and especially the two reserved seats of Jabalpur Purba and Sihora," says Singh.
But the BJP is hardly an outfight to give up the battle so soon. Enthusiastic Lotus party workers are seen dancing to the rhythm of the drum beats during campaign raising slogans in praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
In one such meet, many of them sat cross legged listening to local leaders and even raised slogans in favour of BJP Madhya Pradesh unit chief Rakesh Singh.
A tea vendor near the local bus depot says: "There will be fierce competition in all the seats in Jabalpur district. In Jabalpur Purba (SC), the Congress is again pitching in Lakhan Ghangoria, who had won the seat in 2008".
The BJP too has again banked on the sitting legislator Aanchal Sonkar, a senior party leader.
The assembly segment had returned BJP's Sonkar since 1993 in as many as four assembly polls and Mr Sonkat has lost out only in 2008.
BJP supporters say the seat is, therefore, seen as a "safe" option for the party despite the fact that there is an erosion in support base in last few years.
But the saffron party poll strategists are also worried about internal squabble and feel this factor alone can further complicate things for their nominees.
"In last few months and especially in the run up to the November 28 assembly polls being billed as 'most crucial', many local leaders, their foot soldiers and traditional BJP voters have joined the Congress. They may come back to the BJP fold due to Narendra Modi magic once Prime Minister campaigns here," says Amar Mukherjee, a local sweatshop owner.
On the other side, Congress supporters say things may not be very smooth on the other side for the grand old party as well.
A section of residents owing allegiance to Congress here say the party leadership actually surprised admirers and foes alike by fielding Vinay Saxena, former Leader of Opposition in Jabalpur Municipal Corporation, from Japalpur Uttar.
Another Congress leader Vishwamohan was strongly lobbying for the party ticket. That means chances of internal sabotage has brightened.
The BJP, which has been winning this seat from 1985, for its part has fielded Sharad Jain yet again.
Popularly known as 'Advocate sahib', Mr Jain has been winning the seat since last three elections in 2003, 2008 and 2013.
"Our Advocate sahib will win the polls yet again. He is a genuine Shiv Bhakt," said one shopkeeper at Vivekanand Ward in veiled attack against Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
UNI DEVN RSA 1705

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