Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Once again, Jabalpur district is poised to witness a closely contested battle between the BJP and Congress in the upcoming elections. In the 2018 assembly elections, the two major parties secured four seats each.
However, simmering discontent among local BJP leaders regarding their candidates selection could influence the election's outcome. The opposition, in an effort to gain an advantage over the saffron party, may exploit the internal discord within the BJP. Besides, voters in many constituencies here have shown a tendency to alternate between choosing BJP and Congress candidates in past elections.
Patan Assembly
seat Its Vishnoi vs Awasthi once again The Patan Assembly seat is known for offering surprise in every election as the voters here keep changing their representative to Assembly alternatively. Fort the last three elections the electoral battle has been fought between BJP’s Ajay Vishnoi and Congress leader Neelesh Awasthi.
In 2018 elections BJP candidate Ajay Vishnoi won the seat defeating Congress sitting MLA Neelesh Awasthi, who had defeated him (Vishnoi) in 2013 polls. Seeing the clout of Vishnoi in constituency, BJP has again fielded him to wrest the seat from Awasthy who is in fray again.
Bargi Assembly seat
BJP Newbie to face incumbent MLA BJP has fielded Neeraj Thakur, a new face to take on the sitting Congress MLA Sanjay Yadav. In 2018 Yadav had wrested the seat from BJP’s Prathiba Singh by a huge margin. In 2013, Singh had won the seat by routing Congress candidate Thakur Shobran Singh.
Jabalpur East assembly seat
Cong-BJP wins seat alternately The Jabalpur East assembly seat voters are known for not allowing any political party to repeat the winning streak. In the last assembly election, Congress candidate Lakhan Ghangoriya had won the seat by defeating BJP MLA Anchal Sonkar. Sonkar had won the seat defeating Ghangoriya in 2013. Whether the voters of Jabalpur East will continue the voting pattern this election is to be seen.
Jabalpur North
BJP’s Pandey face fight within party and outside Like a few other seats of the district, Jabalpur North also follows the pattern of changing its representative to Assembly every election. In the 2018 elections, Congress candidate Vijay Saxena had wrested the seat from sitting BJP MLA Sharad Jain.
In 2013 Jain had bagged the seat by trouncing Congress candidate Naresh Saraf. For the ensuing polls, BJP has chosen former state president of BJYM Abhilash Pandey. Protesting the ticket to Pandey, the supporters of Jain had created ruckus in presence of Union minister Bhupendra Yadav.
The Congress is trying to gain from the infighting within BJP over ticket distribution even as the saffron party is trying hard to douse the anger.
Congress Candidates
Jabalpur Cantonment
Will Rohani third time lucky The Jabalpur cantonment assembly seat bastion of BJP. The son of former assembly Ishwar Das Rohani, Ashok Rohani is maintaining the winning streak from the last two assembly elections. In this election also, BJP had fielded him once again from the seat against Congress candidate Abhilash Chaukse.
Jabalpur West
Fight between two heavyweights The Congress has a huge sway over Jabalpur Paschim seat and its leader Tarun Bhanot has been representing this seat in the Assembly since 2013.
Congress has once again reposed faith in Bhanot who will face BJP former State President Rakesh Singh. The constituency will see a direct fight between heavyweights of the two parties
Panagar
Tiwari vs Patel BJP has retained its sitting MLA Sushil Tiwari who will face Congress Rajesh Patel.
In the last assembly election, Tiwari had defeated Independent candidate Bharat Singh Yadav.
Sihora
BJP replaced two-time MLA The party has replaced its two-time sitting MLA Nandini Maravi and pitted Santosh Barbade against Congress candidate Ekta Thakur.
Maravi had won the election by routing Congress candidate Khiladi Singh Armo by a huge margin in 2018. In the 2013 election also, Maravi had registered the victory.
