Although, voting for Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency is over in the first phase held on April 19, but it is continue to be a hot seat in this election and BJP’s main focus. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday exuded confidence over winning former Chief Minister Kamal Nath’s stronghold. He said “Chhindwara which was our minus seat in the previous two Lok Sabha elections, now I can say that we have won the Chhindwara seat, only the result is awaited now.” It is the pocket borough of senior Congress leader Kamal Nath family. Along with Sidhi, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla and Balaghat seats, Chhindwara went to poll in the first phase on April 19. He further said “We are nearing the second phase of elections and nominations for the third and the fourth phases have started. Today, I am going to Malwa-Shajapur and Ujjain.

 

We will not rest until the last vote is cast. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to increase our enthusiasm especially when we have resolved to win 29 out of 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh.” Notably, this is the lone seat in 2019 elections which was won by Congress while rest of 28 constituencies bagged by BJP. In 2014 elections, BJP registered victory at 27 seats out of 29. Chhindwara constituency has been sending Congress leaders to Parliament since 1950, barring a brief interlude in 1997, when veteran BJP leader and former CM Sunderlal Patwa won this seat. Since 1980, the seat has been within the family of Congress stalwart Kamal Nath. Recently, Kamal Nath faced a huge blow when several of his loyalists, including Mayor (although he took U-turn on the polling day) but another Kamal Nath’s aide Deepak Saxena and several others joined BJP. Adding to that his premises were raided by local police following the complaint of his rival Bunty Sahu accusing a top aide of the former chief minister of conspiring to circulate a fake obscene video of the latter. Ruling BJP has put its full might to wrest the bastion from Congress.