MP Election 2023 : Supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket aspirants created a ruckus in front of Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav at the party office in Jabalpur on Saturday evening after their names were not included in the fifth list of candidates released for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections. Superintendent of Police A.P. Singh said that based on the complaint of the Union Minister’s bodyguards, three people have been arrested for obstructing a public servant in the discharge of his duty. He said that other people involved in the incident are being identified.
In a video that surfaced on social media, a crowd can be seen jostling around Madhya Pradesh BJP election campaign committee in-charge Bhupendra Yadav, while a security personnel is seen trying to protect the minister. In the video, some people were also seen attacking a man dressed in security guard uniform, who tried to take out a revolver while trying to control the situation.
Soon after the release of BJP’s fifth list of 92 candidates, BJP workers had a heated exchange at the party office with senior leaders including Yadav and Rajya Sabha member Kavita Patidar. When BJP District President (Jabalpur) Prabhat Sahu was asked about this, he said that senior party leaders were present in the office when the protest was held and it was up to them to take the decision. The ruling party in the state has so far announced 228 out of 230 candidates for next month’s elections, excluding Guna and Vidisha seats.
According to sources, after the announcement of giving ticket to Abhilash Pandey from Jabalpur North, BJP workers protested as local leaders consider him an ‘outsider’. According to BJP sources and leaders, similar incidents took place at other places also. Supporters of some leaders who were deprived of BJP tickets from other constituencies also demonstrated. In Gwalior, supporters of former MLA Munnalal Goyal demonstrated by blocking the road in Baradari area.
On not getting the ticket, former minister and sitting MLA Anoop Mishra, a close relative of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, said that the anger of party workers could harm the party’s prospects in the November 17 elections. Anup Mishra said, “If party workers campaign in favor of BJP, it will help the party.” He stressed that he is a committed soldier of the party. Congress targeted Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan in view of the uproar over ticket distribution in BJP.
State Congress Media Department Chairman K.K. Mishra said that Shivraj Singh Chouhan was targeting the opposition party over ticket distribution, but on the contrary, BJP’s election in-charge Yadav had to face the anger of party workers. While sharing a video of the Jabalpur incident, he claimed that even Yadav’s security guard was protected by others. Anoop Mishra posted on social media platform ‘X’, “Chouhan should tell the price of BJP’s ticket.”
A video of a group of people stopping and attacking the vehicle of BJP leader Deepak Joshi, who recently joined the Congress, in Khategaon in Dewas district also surfaced on social media. The protesters broke windows of vehicles and showed black flags protesting against Joshi’s candidature from the Congress. Deepak Joshi tweeted and indicated that Congress leaders were behind this incident.