Shah enters Kamal Nath’s bastion Chhindwara with massive roadshow days ahead of Lok Sabha elections
Shah was canvassing for BJP candidate Vivek Bunty Sahu, who is contesting against Nath’s son and incumbent Chhindwara lawmaker Nakul Nath of the Congress.
Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday evening held a massive roadshow and participated in a special prayer at a temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency, which is considered a stronghold of former chief minister and senior Congress leader Kamal Nath and the only seat that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost in 2019 in the state, just two days before the first-phase polling.
Shah was canvassing for BJP candidate Vivek Bunty Sahu, who is contesting against Nath’s son and incumbent Chhindwara lawmaker Nakul Nath of the Congress.
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav accompanied Shah for the roadshow, which saw a large crowd of BJP supporters waving the saffron flag and holding posters of Lord Ram on both sides of the route. A replica of Ayodhya’s grand temple was also placed on the route of the roadshow.
Later, Shah also participated in a special pooja (prayer) at Badi Mata temple in Chhindwara.
A senior BJP leader aware of the matter said Shah and chief minister Yadav will halt for the night in Chhindwara and hold meeting with party leaders to strategise for the polling day.
“Shah’s presence in the city will definitely boost the morale of BJP booth-level workers. Before the November-December assembly elections last year, Shah’s election management strategy helped the party in winning the state,” a senior BJP functionary said, requesting anonymity.
Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency has been represented by Congress leader Kamal Nath or his family members since 1980, except losing the seat once to the BJP in a 1997 bypoll. In the last general elections, the BJP managed to win all but Chhindwara seat in the state and this time, the ruling party is eyeing to win all 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh.
Lok Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh will be conducted in four phases on April 19, April 26, May 7 and May 13. Chhindwara, along with five other parliamentary seats will go to polls in the first phase.
The BJP functionary cited above said the party is focusing especially on the 33% tribal voters, who have traditionally been Congress supporters, in Chhindwara. Recently, the ruling party got a major shot in the arm after Congress legislator and popular tribal leader Kamlesh Shah joined its rank.
Kamal Nath is also holding four to five public meetings every day in the constituency, leaving no stone unturned to ensure a second term for his son Nakul.
“BJP is going to lose the election and now BJP leaders realised this fact and that’s why they have called Union home minister Amit Shah. But nothing will happen, Nakul Nath will win with huge margin,” Congress MLA Vijay Chore said.