Narmadapuram (Madhya Pradesh): The polling day is just 72 hours from now. The BJP, the Congress and the Independent candidate have intensified their electioneering in the district after Diwali. There are four seats in the district, but the Hoshangabad constituency is witnessing a triangular contest.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister Smriti Irani and Assam Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma have already held several rallies seeking votes for BJP candidate Sitasaran Sharma.
Sharma has been winning the election from Hoshangabad constituency for the past 15 years because of development work done by the BJP government.
Nevertheless, all the senior leaders, seeking vote for him, have cited the development work done by him and by the government, and that amazed the voters.
On the other hand, there has been no senior leader from the Congress to seek vote for party candidate Girijashankar Sharma. Absence of former legislator of the Congress Ambika Prasad Shukla, former legislator Vijay Dubey Kaku Bhai, and senior leader of the party Manak Agawal from campaigning has been a matter of discussion in the constituency.
Sitasaran Sharma is facing his elder brother Girijashankar Sharma, but the latter does not seem to be keen on campaigning. There has not been any big public rally held by the Congress.
So, people wanted to know whether Girijashankar Sharma is contesting the election on the slogan – Pahele Bhai phir Congress-I (first brother then the party). Independent candidate Bhagwati Prasad Choure, who was denied a ticket by the BJP, is acquainted with the way of fighting election of both the Sharmas.
Many leaders of the BJP who protested before the party high command against giving a ticket to Sitasaran Sharma may give internal support to the independent candidate, which may influence the poll outcome.
The Aam Aadmi Party has also backed Choure. Although no senior politician held any rally seeking vote for Choure, a large number of workers can be seen campaigning for him. This has surprised many political experts in the district.
