BJP not to field Varun Gandhi from Vidisha

Dashing hopes of Varun Gandhi, the BJP has decided to field state minister Rampal Singh from Vidisha Lok Sabha seat, which had once elected former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Former Left MLA and Congress leader Kapoorchand Ghuwara will be the NDA candidate from Bara Malhera Assembly constituency. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh confirmed this.

"After a brain-storming session, the 16-member central election committee headed by party President Rajnath Singh gave names of Varun Gandhi, Sadhna Singh and Rampal Singh. But Shivraj Singh Chouhan, backed by state unit and RSS heavyweights, opposed Gandhi's nomination," said a party source.

"He was also opposed on grounds that the RSS would oppose someone from the Gandhi family for their history of promoting nepotism. Chouhan had to compromise and drop his wife's nomination on the same grounds," he said.

Vajpayee was in favour of fielding Gandhi but LK Advani was neutral, sources said.