Indore: While both the ruling BJP and the main Opposition party are sharpening their pitches for by-elections in Madhya Pradesh, the former sprung a big surprise by choosing Gyaneshwar Patil to contest from Khandwa Lok Sabha seat. The saffron party not only surprised Congress but also many BJP leaders who were thinking that either senior leader Archana Chitnis or Harshvardhan Singh, son of late MP Nandkumar Singh Chouhan would be fielded.
As Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had put his weight behind Harshvardhan, many thought that announcement of his name was just a formality. Chouhan had told BJP high command that sympathy wave could work in favour of BJP if they fielded Harshvardhan from Khandwa, from where his father was elected to Lok Sabha on six occasions.
Union home minister Amit Shah, however, had made it clear to the BJP state unit that they wanted to win the Khandwa seat on the basis of its cadre's work and not on any sympathy wave. Shah had directed the state party unit to suggest name of an OBC from the Maharashtrian community. Chitnis had emerged as the favourite but Shah specifically wanted someone from the Maratha community. Party district panchayat president Patil, who would have never even thought of getting a ticket for Lok Sabha, was chosen by the saffron party to contest from Khandwa seat.
