Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections: The BJP fields tribal woman Monika in the Congress stronghold of Amarwara.
As Madhya Pradesh prepares for Assembly elections, the BJP has decided to run Monika Batti, the daughter of a previous legislator, in the Congress stronghold of Amarwara in Chhindwara district.
Monika is the daughter of late Akhil Bhartiya Gondwana Party (ABGP) president Manmohan Shah Batti. She recently joined the BJP.
Given her father’s clout in the region, the saffron party chose to give Monika, a law graduate, the ticket.
In 2003, Manmohan was the MLA for Amarwara. He later ran in the next elections, which he lost to the BJP, and the next two to the Congress candidate.
Manmohan lost to Congress MLA Kamlesh Shah in 2018, however, he received 61,269 votes and finished second. He died of a Covid infection in August 2020, and his daughter, Monika, took over his party’s leadership.
Monika attended school in Balaghat until the eighth grade, when she moved to Bhopal to pursue her LLB and prepare to become a civil judge. “I wanted to be a civil judge, but when my father died, I had no choice but to take over the party and carry on his good work.” “He wished for the Gondi language to be included in the Constitution, and now I will carry on his dreams,” Monika added.
Chhindwara is a stronghold for Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath. When asked if she was up for the task, Monika stated, “My father received 60,000 votes, and I will receive 60,000 votes from the BJP and win.” I am honoured that the BJP has given me this opportunity. Amarwara continues to struggle with youth unemployment, intermittent electricity, and other basic difficulties. Our tribe youngsters reside in one of the state’s poorest districts, and I appreciate the opportunity to help my community, she added.
On Monday, the BJP unveiled its second list of 39 candidates, including three Union ministers, four MPs, and a national general secretary.
Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Patel, and Faggan Singh Kulaste, as well as MPs Rakesh Singh (previous state BJP president), Ganesh Singh, Reeti Pathak, and Uday Pratap Singh, and general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, will now contest the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.
Following the announcement of his candidature, BJP general secretary Vijayvargiya expressed surprise that his name appeared on the list. “I was surprised to receive the election ticket.” It is a privilege for me that the BJP organisation has sent me back into electoral politics. “I will do my best to meet the expectations of the party,” he assured reporters. Vijayvargiya stated that he had already informed the BJP that he did not desire to run for office.
Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar stated that it is his obligation as a Bharatiya Janata Party activist to do whatever the party dictates. “If the party feels that I should contest the Vidhan Sabha elections, then the party’s decision is acceptable.”
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was not designated as the CM’s face, reacted to the announcement by saying, “This is amazing, unprecedented.” It has assured the Bharatiya Janata Party’s overwhelming triumph and all of our famous leaders will run in the future elections.”
The Congress Party has reacted to the BJP’s use of heavyweight candidates. Kamal Nath states this is the ruling party’s “last bet of false hope” in MP.
“By giving Assembly tickets to its MPs in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has demonstrated that it will not win the 2023 Assembly elections or the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.” This just means that the ruling party has recognised that, as a party, it has become so infamous that it is no longer winning elections, so why not gamble on the so-called big names only?” Nath wrote on X.
“I thank the central and state governments,” Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel remarked. This is the first time that the leadership has given me the opportunity to run for Vidhan Sabha from my home district…The state is lovely, resourceful, and full of opportunities.”
