Jobat (Madhya Pradesh): Tuesday brought a big relief to the Congress candidate ahead of Jobat assembly by-polls here in Alirajpur district as rebel Congress candidate Deepak Bhuria withdrew his nomination.
Bypolls to Jobat assembly constituency, reserved for Scheduled Tribe, was necessitated following the death of sitting Congress legislator Kalawati Bhuria.
The BJP has pitted turncoat Sulochana Rawat against Congress candidate Mahesh Patel. Rawat, a former MLA, had recently joined BJP after quitting the Congress. She had earlier won the seat twice on Congress's ticket in 1998 and 2008.
However, upset with the Congress decision, Deepak Bhuria has decided to enter the electoral fray as an independent candidate. However, he withdrew his nomination after former cabinet minister Dr Vijaylaxmi Sadho and other senior leaders convinced him to take back his name.
Bhuria withdrawal from by-elections has brought much needed relief to Congress, especially after the jolt it suffered following the shifting of loyalty by former MLA Sulochana Rawat and her son.
Notably, Jobat Assembly constituency comprises 45 per cent of Bhilaal community votes, 40 % Bhil votes and remaining 15 % voters belong to other tribes.
Bhil votes would once again play a crucial role in the bypolls. Many political analysts claimed that Bhil voters always have an inclination towards Congress and when Deepak Bhuria, the nephew of late Kalavati Bhuria, filed nomination as an independent, the Bhil votes would have stood divided. Now with the withdrawal of his nomination, Congress leaders are relieved that the Bhil voters will repose confidence in the Congress candidate.
Bhuria booked for violating model code
A case has been registered against Deepak Bhuria under Section 188 of CRPC for violating the Model Code of Conduct. Action has been taken following the directives of Jobat sub-divisional officer (police) after Bhuria arrived at the returning officer’s office in a motor cavalcade. According to information, Bhuria convoy comprised five vehicles without having a required permission, which is against the model code of conduct.
