NEW DELHI: After naming Union ministers as candidates in the upcoming Madhya Pradesh election, the BJP is learned to have decided to field more Central ministers and sitting MPs in polls in different states. The objective is to create space for new faces for Lok Sabha polls.
By fielding three Union ministers in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has dropped a signal that it may field senior and experienced leaders who, apart from the national level, have a good hold on the politics of their respective states.
“The best way to utilise their experiences of electoral politics is bring them into the fray for assembly elections in other states also. The party finds a merit in it and may most probably go the way it has gone for MP assembly election,” said a senior party functionary.
The assembly election in Congress-ruled Rajasthan has become a matter of challenge to for the BJP this time. “The names of some Union ministers and sitting MPs are doing the rounds. They may be tasked to contest the upcoming assembly election. Notably, many of them have a good hold on their respective districts,” said a BJP source.
It is speculated that Union ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat may be fielded in Rajasthan this time as both of them have political influence across the state. Meghwal represents the Bikaner LS constituency and has a strong hold among a major chunk of voters belonging to his community.
“There is also the possibility that the party may ask him to head the government if it is voted to power, on the basis of his political experience. He is a bureaucrat-turned-politician and knows well the state’s political and administrative strengths and weaknesses,” said a source.
Shekhawat, MP from Jodhpur LS seat, “is considered a smart strategist for the assembly elections with good public connect. “He is experienced and in state politics now. Involvement of experienced politicians like him has become the need of the hour,” a leader hinted.
Union minister Renuka Singh, who holds deep connections in the tribal community, may be told to contest in Chhattisgarh.
According to sources, 7-9 sitting MPs, three of them ministers in Modi's cabinet, are being considered to be fielded from Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
Union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw, Arjun Munda, RK Singh, Giriraj Singh, Ashwini Choubey, Darshana Jardosh, Bhupendra Yadav, SP Singh Baghel, V Muraleedharan and Kiren Rijiju, as well as Kailash Choudhary, the MP from Rajasthan’s Barmer seat, are some other leaders who may be contesting the assembly elections in different states.
Ramesh Bidhuri in-charge of Tonk seat in Raj South Delhi BJP Ramesh Bidhuri, who recently made headlines for allegedly using abusive words against BSP MP Danish Ali in the Lok Sabha, has now been assigned as the party’s election in-charge in Rajasthan’s Tonk assembly constituency. His appointment comes amidst speculation that the Congress party is considering to field Sachin Pilot from the same seat.
Arjun Ram Meghwal Represents Bikaner LS constituency and has a strong hold with a major chunk of voters belonging to his community
Renuka Singh The Union minister from the Surguja seat from Chhattisgarh holds deep connect with tribal community
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat The MP from Jodhpur LS seat, is seen as a smart strategist for assembly polls with good public connect
Arjun Munda The Union minister from Khunti constituency of Jharkhand is one of the most vocal party leaders
