Despite declining support base, BSP has its own vote bank.
Despite its decreasing support base in Chambal region, BSP is also in a position to contest on Morena seat with the help of its vote bank. Although Morena is a Thakur dominated seat, Dalit votes are also in good numbers. As a matter of fact, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BSP’s Kartar Singh Bhadana’s 11.37% vote share was more than the difference in votes between BJP and Congress candidates. This shows that BSP can still influence the outcome.
Figures changed in 2008
Until the delimitation of Lok Sabha seats in 2008, Morena seat was reserved for Scheduled Castes. Narendra Singh Tomar won the seat against Congress’s Ram Niwas Rawat after the seats were unreserved in 2009. In this election also, BSP candidate Balveer Singh Dandotia, who is a Brahmin, got 20 percent votes, which was much more than the difference in votes between Congress and BJP.
MP Lok Sabha Election: Why is BJP and Congress stuck in Rajgarh? BJP’s ‘Chanakya’ will make strategy for victory
In 2014, Anoop Mishra, nephew of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had contested the elections on BJP ticket and in this election, BSP’s Brindavan Singh Sikarwar had finished second and Congress candidate Govind Singh had slipped to the third position.
Congress last won this seat in 1991
When this seat was reserved for Scheduled Castes, Ashok Argal of BJP represented the constituency 4 times from 1996 to 2004. Congress last won the seat in 1991 when party’s Barelal Jatav won the election, but Congress is expected to get a tough fight on this seat and the situation is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BSP supremo Mayawati have already held public meetings in Morena. And Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi is going to address a public meeting on May 2. This shows that the election battle in Morena is interesting and everyone is hopeful of victory.
MP News: Now Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi will be seen in MP’s ‘Ran’, what is the political meaning of their appearance in the remaining 2 phases?
Another discussion in the election corridors is that the BJP candidate has got the ticket on the recommendation of Narendra Singh Tomar. This is the reason why even though Narendra Singh Tomar himself is not in the field, he is leaving no stone unturned. Congress had filed a complaint with the Election Commission objecting to Tomar taking part in the campaign despite holding the constitutional post of Speaker of the State Assembly, but the Commission said that the Speaker can do so being a member of a political party.
Tikamgarh Loksabha Chunav: Increasing margin of victory… How will Congress win in Tikamgarh, the impenetrable stronghold of BJP?
Congress candidate Satyapal Singh Sikarwar is the son of BJP leader Gajraj Singh Sikarwar and brother of Congress MLA from Gwalior Satish Sikarwar. Satish Sikarwar’s wife is also the mayor of Gwalior. The political clout of the Sikarwar family in the Gwalior-Chambal region and his own image give him and his party hope that the seat, held by the BJP since 1991, can be snatched away. BSP candidate Ramesh Garg is a businessman and apart from the traditional votes of BSP, he may also get votes of upper castes and OBCs and the balance may swing either way.