Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A number of candidates with a strong legacy of public service are vying for political positions in their respective regions, in the ensuing assembly elections. Both the Congress and BJP have fielded candidates whose family members have a rich history in politics, with several having served as MLAs or MPs.
As these candidates step into the political arena for the first time, the political landscape of the region is set to witness a new chapter in the enduring story of these political dynasties.
The outcome of these contests will not only shape the region’s politics but bhopalso determine the continuity of these influential families in public service. Here are some of the candidates and the remarkable political batons they have picked up:
Mausam Bisen (BJP) - Balaghat |
Mausam Bisen (BJP) - Balaghat: Mausam Bisen, the BJP candidate from Balaghat, is the daughter of senior BJP leader Gaurishankar Bisen. Mausam entered active politics by coordinating BJP’s Yuva Jodo campaign and has been making steady progress. Gaurishankar Bisen has been representing the Balaghat constituency since 1985. His wife, Rekha Bisen, once served as a district Panchayat president and even contested in her husband’s place in 1998, when he was elected to the Lok Sabha. This constituency has predominantly been held by Gaurishankar, with the Congress winning only once in eight elections spanning 38 years.
Siddharth Tiwari (BJP) - Teonthar |
Siddharth Tiwari (BJP) - Teonthar: Siddharth Tiwari, the BJP candidate from Teonthar, hails from a family deeply rooted in the politics of Vindhya. He is the grandson of veteran Congress leader and former assembly speaker Srinivas Tiwari. Siddharth’s father, Late Sunderlal Tiwari, was an MLA from the Gudh assembly seat of Rewa district from 2013 to 2018. Prior to this, he also served as an MP from the Rewa Lok Sabha seat from 1999 to 2014.
Kamakhya Pratap Singh (BJP) - Maharajpur |
Kamakhya Pratap Singh (BJP) - Maharajpur: Kamakhya Pratap Singh, the BJP candidate from Maharajpur, is the son of BJP leader Manvendra Singh, also known as Bhawar Raja. Manvendra Singh won as an independent candidate in the 2008 elections and later joined the BJP in 2013, winning on their ticket. However, he faced defeat in the 2018 elections at the hands of the Congress’s Neeraj Vinod Dixit.
Atif Aqueel (Congress) - Bhopal Uttar |
Atif Aqueel (Congress) - Bhopal Uttar: Atif Aqueel, contesting on a Congress ticket from Bhopal Uttar, is the son of present congress MLA and former minister Arif Aqueel. This constituency has long been the stronghold of Atif’s father, Arif, who has been elected as an MLA from the area six times since 1990. Arif Aqueel has also held the position of a cabinet minister and enjoys tremendous popularity in the region, earning him the moniker “Sher-e-Bhopal.”
With inputs from Rishita Tomar
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