Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): Following protest staged by supporters of Congress ticket aspirants from Jaora (Ratlam district) and Barnagar (Ujjain district) at MPCC office and outside PCC chief Kamal Nath’s residence in Bhopal recently, the party changed its candidates on Wednesday.
Sitting MLA Murli Morwal and former Ratlam district panchayat vice-president Virendra Singh Solanki were made Congress candidates from Barnagar and Jaora Assembly constituency respectively.
Morwal was the only sitting MLA out of 11 legislators in Ujjain division who was denied ticket. He belongs to OBC and was denied ticket due to controversies involving him. His son has been charged with rape. The court trial is yet to begin in the state.
As Morwal was denied ticket, his supporters marched to Bhopal recently and staged a violent demonstration in front of Kamal Nath’s residence. A Morwal supporter had tried to immolate self but was saved.
Morwal had given ultimatum to the party leadership to field him again lest he would fight election as an independent candidate. In his support, several Congress functionaries in Barnagar had resigned.
Meanwhile, Rajendra Singh Solanki, whom the Congress party had given ticket on October 20, has announced to contest election as an independent candidate from Barnagar. He said after getting nod from the party, he started campaigning in rural areas but the party changed his candidature under pressure. He said that he would file his nomination paper on October 27.
Fissures have surfaced in BJP too. Two time MLA Shantilal Dhabai has announced to contest as an independent candidate from the constituency. BJP has fielded new face Jitendra Singh Pandya. Amid these developments, Barnagar constituency may see a four-pronged contest. Brahmin and Rajput community voters are sizeable in the area.
From Jaora, Congress party has changed candidate. Earlier, it had fielded Himmat Shrimal who enjoys support of former Mandsaur MP Minakshi Natrajan, MPCC general secretary Yusuf Kadapa and former minister Bharat Singh. But Congress workers raised protest. Now, Virendra Singh Solanki has been fielded in his place. Solanki belongs to Alot tehsil but was active in Jaora for last four years. He is enjoys support of ex-CM Digvijaya Singh. Rajput and Muslims voters are in sizeable number in the constituency.
