Dinesh Nigam ‘Tyagi’, Special Correspondent (News2News.in)
There is a possibility of a tough contest between BJP and Congress in Bhind Lok Sabha seat of Chambal-Gwalior region. BJP MP Sandhya Rai is again in the fray, while Congress has fielded Phool Singh Baraiya, who won the assembly elections from Bhander. With the wave going on in favor of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP may get the benefit of the party candidate being a woman whereas Phool Singh Baraiya has earlier been in BSP. He has a good hold among the Dalit class. However, many controversial statements of Baraiya can prove to be suicidal for him, while the people of the area are angry due to the inaction of BJP candidate Sandhya Rai. Therefore, like the assembly elections in Chambal-Gwalior region, the Lok Sabha elections are also not easy for the BJP. Despite the Modi wave, like other seats in the region, it may have to face a tough fight from Congress in Bhind too. The presence of BSP spoils the game of both the parties here.
BJP-Congress’s gains and losses are also no less.
BJP’s Sandhya Rai had registered a big victory in the 2019 elections. He defeated Devashish of Congress by a margin of about two lakh votes. Like the last election, this time too the atmosphere is in favor of BJP. In 2019, nationalism was a big issue due to the air strike in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, whereas this time BJP is preparing to capitalize on Ram Temple in Ayodhya and Section 370 in Kashmir. Last time, BJP had canceled the ticket of Dr. Bhagirath Prasad and given the ticket to Sandhya Rai. Earlier she was an MLA. This time again the party has trusted him. After being declared a candidate, a video of him talking to the people has gone viral. In this, people are accusing him of inaction and not doing anything for the area. This position of the candidate can harm BJP in the elections. On the other hand, Congress has fielded MLA Phool Singh Baraiya in place of previous candidate Devashish. Baraiya was once the leader of BSP, now he is in Congress. Due to this, he has a good hold among the Dalits. He won the election from Bhander by a margin of about 30 thousand votes, but due to his many statements, he irritates the eyes of the common people. Congress may have to suffer its loss in the elections.
Seat formed by combining Bhind and Datia districts
Bhind Lok Sabha seat is reserved for Scheduled Caste category. This includes five seats in Bhind district and three seats in Datia district. The seats of Bhind district include Ater, Bhind, Lahar, Mehgaon, Gohad and Sevdha, Bhander and Datia of Datia district. Before 2008, Bhind Lok Sabha seat was general but after that it became reserved for the Scheduled Caste category. When the seat was general, Dr. Ram Lakhan Singh has been MP from BJP continuously from 1996 to 2004. Yogananda Saraswati had won from Bhind in 1991 also. After being reserved, Ashok Argal in 2009, Dr. Bhagirath Prasad in 2014 and BJP’s Sandhya Rai in 2019 have won the elections. Sandhya has once again got a chance. BJP has been in power here continuously since 1989.
Got 4-4 seats in assembly elections
In terms of assembly elections, the strength of BJP and Congress is almost equal in Bhind Lok Sabha constituency. Both the parties have won four seats each in the area. Although the atmosphere was more in favor of Congress, two stalwarts of the party, Chaudhary Rakesh Singh Bhind and the then leader of opposition Dr Govind Singh Lahar, lost the election. In this election, BJP veteran Narottam Mishra had to face defeat in Datia. In the assembly elections, BJP won four seats Bhind, Lahar, Mehgaon and Sevdha while Congress won Ater, Gohad, Bhander and Datia.
BJP-Congress’s own issues
BJP and Congress have their own issues in the Lok Sabha elections. The main issue of BJP is Ram Temple in Ayodhya and removal of Article 370 from Kashmir. Apart from this, the face of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the biggest strength of the party. Modi is touring across the country inaugurating development works and performing Bhoomi Pujan. That means the party is riding on the Modi wave. On the other hand, Congress is talking about justice to every section. Misuse of investigative agencies is a big issue of the party. This allegation of Congress has been strengthened by the arrest of two Chief Ministers, first Hemant Soren and now Arvind Kejriwal. The party also expects benefits from Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra.
