Bhopal (Madya Pradesh): The poll trends showed a confused and a mixed prediction for Madhya Pradesh. With a next-to-neck fight expected in the central state, Free Press Journal has complied a list of high-profile seats to understand the direction of the political wave.
This time, BJP did not hesitate to field its senior-most top-brass leaders, showing the party's seriousness to retain power in the Hindi-belt central state. The high-intensity battle between the BJP veterans and Congress stalwarts on atleast a dozen seats has kept political pandits in lurch as they closely monitor the field reports.
1. Dimni (Morena): BJP pitted Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar against Congress' Ravindra Singh Tomar. As per the analysis, Minister Tomar is likely to win this seat.
2. Jabalpur West: Now, this was a tough competition as BJP's Member of Parliament from Jabalpur Rakesh Singh faces Congress' Sitting MLA and former finance minister Tarun Bhanot.
Going by the ground reports, Bhanot is expected to win Jabalpur West.
3. Datia: Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra is running against Congress' Rajendra Bharti. The grand old party had first fielded Awadhesh Nayak, however, later replaced him.
Mishra is likely to retain his seat.
4. Niwas (Mandla): Another seat where BJP fielded central; Minister of State Faggan Singh Kulaste. Kulaste will be fighting Congress' Chain Singh Varkade.
The BJP minister has an edge over the Congress candidate in this Varkade seat.
5. Budhni (Sehore): Coming to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan home seat Budhni. Congress, playing 'Hindutva' card, fielded Vikram Mastal-- Bollywood actor famous for playing Lord Hanuman's role in 2008 TV series.
However, if go by the trends, Shivraj is highly likely to win the seat.
6. Chhindwara: This is known as Kamal Nath's bastion as he has been elected nine times as Lok Sabha member from here. Just like, 2019 bypolls, former chief minister and current CM face of Congress Nath will fight BJP's Bunty Sahu.
Nath had defeated Sahu with 25000 votes then. And this time too, he is expected to retain his seat.
7. Indore-1: Much-reluctant, BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya has been pitted against Congress' sitting MLA Sanjay Shukla from Indore-1.
The trends suggest Vijayvargiya's 'invincible' record will continue till time too.
8. Rau: Congress' sitting MLA Jitu Patwari is competing against former chairman of Indore Development Authority and BJP leader Madhu Verma.
MLA Patwari has an edge over Verma.
9. Raghogarh: Congress MLA Jaivardhan Singh is fighting from his father and Member of Parliament Digvijaya Singh's seat Raghogarh He is in race against BJP's Hirendra Singh (Bunty Banna).
Junior Singh is most likely to retain his family bastion.
10. Satna: There is a tough fight between BJP's Member of Parliament from Satna Ganesh Singh is pitted against Congress' sitting MLA Siddharth Kushwaha. Trends suggest MLA Kushwaha has an edge over MP Ganesh Singh.
11. Lahar: BJP's Amrish Sharma Guddu is giving a neck-to-neck fight to Congress LoP Dr Govind Singh. The Congress candidate is struggling to retain his seat and even if he does, reports suggests it would be with very small margin of 1000 to 1500 votes.
12. Sidhi: Another controversial seat where BJP replaced sitting MLA Kedarnath Shukla with Riti Pathak after tribal pee-gate incident took the internet by storm. She will be racing against Congress leader Gyan Singh.
Going by the ground reports, Pathak is expected to win the seat.
