Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Several candidates, who previously served as MLAs from one political party, are now contesting the Lok Sabha election under the banner of old rival parties. Despite once serving their constituency from a different party’s platform, these candidates now switch allegiances and present themselves as contenders for the parliamentary seat from the very constituency they once represented in the state legislature. Two Congress’s and one BJP’s candidates had once contested the Assembly election against the candidate of the party they represent now.
Rahul Singh Lodhi (Damoh): Rahul Singh Lodhi, the BJP candidate from Damoh, was once a member of the Congress. In 2018, he defeated the BJP’s Jayant Malaiya on the Congress ticket. However, in 2020, he resigned as MLA after leaving the Congress and joined the BJP. In the by-elections, he was named as the BJP candidate from Damoh assembly constituency but he lost to Congress’s Ajay Tandon. In this general election, Rahul Singh Lodhi has been pitched against Congress’s Tarvar Singh Lodhi.
Neelam Mishra (Rewa): The Congress candidate from Rewa, Neelam Mishra once served as a Member of Legislative Assembly from Semariya on the BJP’s ticket. She held the MLA position from 2013 to 2018. Along with her husband, Abhay Mishra, the only Congress MLA from the 8 assembly seats of Rewa, they left the BJP and joined Congress in 2018. Now, Neelam Mishra, the Congress candidate will face the sitting MP and the BJP candidate Janardan Mishra.
Phool Singh Baraiya (Bhind): Phool Singh Baraiya, the Congress candidate from Bhind, was an MLA from Bahujan Samaj Party from Bhander in 1998. In 2003, he left the BSP and formed his own party. In 2020 assembly by-elections, he fought on the Congress’s ticket but lost, and in the 2023 assembly elections, he was again fielded from the Bhander assembly constituency. Now, he is in a direct contest with the incumbent MP and the BJP’s Sandhya Ray.
