Ratlam: Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) workers accorded a warm welcome to Gumansingh Damor, the party candidate from Ratlam-Jhabua parliamentary seat, on Wednesday when he reached here for the first time after allotment of the party ticket. According to a BJP press release, Ratlam city MLA Chetanya Kashyap garlanded Damor.
BJP leaders and workers assured Damor of best performance of the party from three assembly segments Ratlam city, Ratlam rural and Sailana which are part of Ratlam parliamentary seat. Ratlam rural MLA Dilip Makwana, Ratlam district BJP president Rajendra Singh Lunera, Jhabua district BJP president Omprakash Sharma were also present on the occasion.
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This is to be noted that Ratlam district’s three assembly segments Ratlam city, Ratlam rural and Sailana which are part of Ratlam- Jhabua parliamentary seat are very important for the BJP as since the last many parliamentary elections BJP got lead from Ratlam district and this time too BJP leadership is hopeful of securing lead for the BJP candidate from Ratlam district.
On the other hand, the backbone of the Congress performance always remained in Jhabua and Alirajpur district’s assembly segments from where Congress always secured good lead and succeeded in winning the parliament elections since 1951 except in 1971, 1977 and 2014 parliament elections. Therefore it is said that likewise in the past BJP has faced a big challenge ahead in Jhabua and Alirajpur district’s assembly segments where it has to work very hard to come at par with the Congress .
In past it was seen that Ratlam district gave a lead to the BJP candidate but lagged behind in Jhabua and Alirajpur districts . Political observers said that for coming at par with Congress in Jhabua and Alirajpur areas, BJP will have to improve at least 5% of its vote share and then only the lead from Ratlam district will be of importance for BJP. On the other hand Congress knew this fact that its victory will solely depend on its performance in Jhabua and Alirajpur district’s assembly segments and to some extent in Sailana of Ratlam district.
In Ratlam city and Ratlam rural assembly segment Congress will have to work to get the maximum possible votes as Congress rank and file knew this fact that Ratlam city and Ratlam rural are strong hold of BJP and in past too from these two assembly segments BJP performed very well in parliament elections too. Two factors which could become cause of concern for Congress candidate Kantilal Bhuria included increasing vote base of BJP and secondly BJP fielding Gumansingh Damor as its candidate who succeeded in winning Jhabua assembly seat in 2018 elections defeating Congress candidate Vikrant Bhuria, son of Congress candidate Kantilal Bhuria. BJP candidate Nirmala Bhuria in 2015 bye elections of parliament from this seat secured 41.88% votes while Congress secured 50.19% votes.
In the history of parliament elections of this seat, BJP won only in 2014 elections when its candidate Dilip Singh Bhuria defeated Kantilal Bhuria of Congress. In 2014 elections BJP secured 50.41% votes while Congress could secure only 40.39% votes but Congress improved its strength just after one year by about 10% votes in the bye elections held in 2015 which held due to death of BJP MP Dilip SinghBhuria.
In 2014 parliament elections BJP secured highest ever voting percentage in its favour and in 2015 bye elections the gap of victory of Congress over BJP was also reduced comparing to elections prior to 2015 elections. BJP has reached in such a situation in Ratlam-Jhabua parliamentary seat make now Congress uncomfortable and any laxity in electioneering may cost it heavily.
Political observers opined that Congress should not take the Jhabua seat now granted for it in view of changing equations . Fielding of Gumansingh Damor as BJP candidate has also made Congress candidate Kantilal Bhuria uncomfortable as Damor is not only retired from the Chief Engineer’s post of PHED of state government but also wrested Jhabua assembly seat from Congress in 2018 assembly elections.
Likewise Congress candidate Kantilal Bhuria the BJP candidate Damor is also from Jhabua district and moreover both belong to Bhil community which has very high number of voters in this parliament seat. Bhil community it is said that always extended support to congress due to one or other reasons. Tribals also included Bhilala and Patelia but their vote share is much less than Bhil community of tribals.
