Madhya Pradesh bypolls: BJP's first post-demonetisation ground test

Defeat of BJP's candidates is certain to be dubbed by the opposition as the 'voters' response" to the demonetisation

The by-elections to Shahdol Lok Sabha and Nepanagar Assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh on November 19 have assumed more significance as the first major ground test for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after demonetisation of high-value notes.

It is crucial for the BJP to retain both the seats, for which the campaign ended this evening, as the defeat of its candidates is certain to be dubbed by the opposition as the "voters' response" to the demonetisation move by the BJP-led central government.

Shahdol Lok Sabha bypoll is caused by the death of Dalpat Singh Paraste who won the seat in 2014, Nepanagar Assembly seat fell vacant due to the demise of Rajendra Shyamlal Dadu in an accident, both from the BJP.

While Congress has fielded Himadri Singh, daughter of former union minister Dalbir Singh and ex-MP Rajesh Nandini Singh in Shahdol, the BJP has put up a tribal leader and state minister Gyan Singh.

The BJP leaders exuded the confidence of retaining both the ST seats with comfortable margins, claiming that the currency scrapping will not affect the party's prospects.

The Congress, however, said the move will hit the ruling party "badly" in the polls.

"People are highly annoyed with the decision and I am sure that they will vote against the BJP on the issue," MP Congress chief Arun Yadav told PTI.

"People are facing grave problems with this dictatorial order. Both common man and farmers were forced to stand in long queues. Farmers are not having money to purchase fertilisers and seeds," he claimed.

Rejecting the Congress's contention, BJP leader Hitesh Bajpai said demonetisation is not an issue in the tribal-dominated area.

"They are more concerned with issues of getting land lease rights, their staple food is rice and jowar and they are happy with it," he said.

"The party had won the Shahdol seat with a margin of over two lakh votes and I am sure that we will retain it with a difference of more than 1.5 lakh ballots," he said.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, state BJP chief Nandkumar Singh Chauhan, senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia had addressed series of public meetings to drum up support for their respective candidates.

Chouhan has frequented Shahdol to ensure that the BJP retains the seat. He is taking no chances since the BJP failed to retain the Ratlam-Jhabua Lok Sabha seats in the by-polls held in November last year.

In Nepanagar Assembly seat, Congress reposed faith in tribal leader Antar Singh Barde while the BJP has fielded Manju Dadu, daughter of late MLA Rajendra Shyamlal Dadu whose death necessitated the by-poll to cash in on the sympathy vote.

A number of other candidates are also in the fray in both the seats.

Apart from the two main parties Communist Party of India (Parmeshwar Singh Porte), Lok Janshakti Party (Krishna Pal Singh Pavel), Gondwana Gantantra Party (Hirasingh Markm) and Apna Dal (Sajjan Singh Paraste) are among those who have entered the fray in Shahdol.

In Nepanagar, besides the Congress and the BJP, the Republican Party of India (A) (Revanta) and the Lok Janshakti Party (Ber Singh) have also fielded candidates.

The counting of votes will be done on November 22, the official said.

In 2014, BJP's Paraste wrested the Shahdol Lok Sabha seat from Congress's Rajesh Nandini Singh by a margin of over 2.14 lakh votes.

The present BJP candidate Gyan Singh had won the seat twice in 1996 and 1998.

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