Bhopal – The Congress party has made a bold move in the political arena by nominating the well-known actor, Vikram Mastal, renowned for his portrayal of Hanuman in Anand Sagar’s 2008 television epic, “Ramayana,” to contest against the incumbent Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in the upcoming assembly elections. This strategic announcement comes as part of the party’s first list of candidates for the Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana assembly elections.
The Congress’ candidate lineup in Madhya Pradesh boasts notable figures, with former Chief Minister and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief, Kamal Nath, being nominated to represent his Chhindwara assembly constituency. Jaivardhan Singh, the son of former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh and a former minister in the previous Kamal Nath government, is set to contest from the Raghogarh constituency.
However, the highlight remains the faceoff between Vikram Mastal and Mr. Chouhan, who will vie for the Budhni constituency.
Intriguingly, the candidate list demonstrates diversity, featuring 47 candidates from the general category, 39 from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, 30 from the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category, 22 from the Scheduled Castes (SC) category, one candidate of the Muslim faith, and 19 women. An astonishing 65 of the candidates are under the age of 50, adding youthful vigor to the electoral landscape.
It’s important to note that the BJP has already disclosed its candidates for over half of the assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, presenting a list of 136 candidates out of the 230 available seats.
Madhya Pradesh is set to hold its assembly elections on November 17, 2023, as citizens elect representatives for all 230 constituencies. The election will transpire in a single phase, with the results scheduled for announcement on December 3.
Furthermore, the Congress’ first list of candidates for the impending Chhattisgarh Assembly elections has raised eyebrows, as it includes four former BJP leaders. These defectors are Avdhesh Nayak (Datia), Rao Yadvendra Singh (Mungaoli), ex-BJP MP Bodh Singh Bhagat (Katangi), and Neeraj Sharma (Surkhi). Interestingly, tickets have been denied to three incumbent MLAs, including former Assembly speaker NP Prajapati.
In this rapidly evolving political landscape, the electoral discourse is poised to become even more engrossing as election day draws nearer.
