It's 'brand Shivraj' on which the BJP is banking to make a hattrick in Madhya Pradesh, where discontent against sitting MLAs of the party threatens to snowball into a crisis in a number of constituencies.
Despite denying ticket to 45 of its 143 MLAs in the 230-member state assembly, the anti-incumbency against the legislators is still a daunting task for the party, which has ruled the state for past two consecutive terms.
Mindful of the resentment against his party's MLAs, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who hardsells his carefully cultivated image of 'bhai, beta and mama' (brother, son and maternal uncle) to people, repeatedly assures in constituency after constituency that if people elect a BJP candidate, they will have "two MLAs- one the local candidate and one Shivraj- and I will never disappoint you, will give my life for your development".
Trailing the campaign of the chief minister in Chambal region for a day brings out the strategy in clear terms.
In Joura assembly segment of Morena, he asks voters, "Do you want to see Shivraj as the next chief minister? If you want me to become chief minister, vote for the BJP candidate Subedar Singh. After all it is MLAs, who will make the chief minister."
The Vaishyas, traditional voters of BJP, have strong reservations against the local candidate, who as the marketing committee head some time ago took certain measures irking the business community.
Chouhan seeks to reassure, "I have come to you with a hope that when hands are raised to elect me as chief minister, they should include the hands of Joura MLA. If Subedar Singh becomes your MLA, you will not have only one MLA. Shivraj will your other MLA... If you want to make Shivraj chief minister, you will have to make Subedar your MLA."
Bhan Singh Yadav from Keravali village in Joura says, "The venue will be filled, when Shivraj will speak. People come here to listen to the chief minister not anybody else. There may be some discontent against the MLA but Chouhan will have impact on voters.
