Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): For BJP and Congress party, Tuesday proved to be a hectic day as they remained busy in appeasing rebels who filed nomination as independent candidates.
The senior leaders of both the parties made phone calls to rebels, making promises to uplift their political career in future.
However, some rebels preferred to ignore phone calls of senior leaders and remained adamant to fight election as independent candidates. The two political parties are hoping that they would appease rebels and make them give up their bid to challenge party.
Senior Congress leader Prem Chand Guddu has filed nomination as an independent candidate from Alot Assembly constituency. “I am going to contest election. More importantly, I am hopeful that Congress will change its candidate,” he told Free Press.
“ I also received call of at least two to three stalwart Congress leaders to give up candidature as an independent candidate,” he claimed.
Congress rebel and an independent candidate from Huzur Assembly constituency (Bhopal) Jitendra Daga said he received phone calls from senior Congress leaders but he ignored them.
“Kamal Nath, Digvijaya Singh, Randeep Singh Surjewala are leading campaign to appease Congress rebels. They are trying to mollify their anger by offering plump posts in boards and corporations if Congress is voted to power in the state,” said a Congress party insider.
As rebels solicit votes, they are sending message to parent party that they are unfazed.
In Jobat, BJP leader Madho Singh is contesting election as an independent candidate. He was approached by senior BJP leaders but it could not be known whether he succumbed to pressure mounted by senior party leaders.
In Bhopal North, brother of former MLA Arif Aqueel, Amir Aqueel campaigned hard on Tuesday and ignored senior Congress leaders’ phone calls.
In Badnagar, Congress rebel Mohan Singh Palduna contesting as an independent candidate is yet to withdraw.
As November 2 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations, BJP and Congress are trying hard to appease rebels.
