MP: Only Two Families Rule The Roost In Only ST Seat In Balaghat

Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh): There are six assembly constituencies in Balaghat. Out of six seats, only Baihar is reserved for ST candidates, but only two families have been ruling the roost in this seat for the past five decades.

The Uike and Netam families get tickets from the BJP and the Congress.  Eleven elections have been held from 1972 to 2018, and every time the seat has remained either with the Uikes or with the Netams.

Before Madhya Pradesh came into existence as a state in 1956, the first election was held in 1951 when Nain Singh of the Congress became a legislator.

Afterwards, Murlidhar Asati, Mahipal Singh Masram and M Singh won the elections from these seats till 1967.

The members of the Uikes and the Netams have been winning the elections since 1972.

A member of Netam family, Suidhanwa Singh, won election thrice from Baihar.

Her son Bhagat Singh Netam won the election twice after her death. From the Netam family, Ganpat Singh Uike was a four-time MLA from this constituency and became a minister. After his death, his son Sanjay Uike has taken on the mantle and won the election twice.

There are many issues in this constituency, but nobody pays any attention to them.

Although Baihar is rich in forests and minerals, there are no proper roads to reach the far-flung villages in this constituency.  Such hamlets are in want of basic amenities, but nobody pays any heed to such issues.