Although, State Capital, Bhopal has been a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but the organisation has chose to field a new candidate instead of repeating sitting MP Sadhvi Pragya Thakur. It has given ticket to Alok Sharma, who had lost recently conducted Assembly elections. The BJP’s announcement to Bhopal candidature for the 2024 elections has drawn much attention. The party has replaced MP Sadhvi Pragya with Alok Sharma, the former Mayor of Bhopal. It is being seen as a strategic move towards a more inclusive political stance. From a hardcore Hindutava figure to a moderate Brahmin candidate. It presents the balance of caste equation, after Thakur now a Brahmin candidate. In surrounding regions, most of the candidates belong to the Kirar sect, including Shivraj Singh Chouhan from Vidisha. On other hand, the party seems to distance itself from the politics of extremism.

 

MP Pragya Thakur’s controversial statements have sparked debates across the nation several times. Sharma, known for his administrative experience as the Mayor of Bhopal, indicates the party prefers to bet on pro developmental and good governance issues. Barring the incident of his statement during a gathering of BJP workers in Jaora Assembly constituency where he said “if you are not voting for BJP, do not vote at all”. “I want to appeal to our Muslim brothers of Jaora that if you don’t want to vote for the BJP, then don’t. But, I request you not to go for voting at all in that case. You must know and whole-heartedly accept the fact that the house you are living in has been granted to you under the Prime Minister’s housing scheme. (Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister) Shivraj Singh Chouhan even built a Haj House in MP,” Sharma had said.

 

The candidature of 53-year-old Sharma got green signal some two years back. It is learnt that the party had conducted surveys on its leaders’ performance and public image. In this survey, Sharma scored an impressive ranking. As far as losing Assembly elections matter, It is well-known that Bhopal Uttar constituency has 55 per cent population from the minority community. Pre-poll surveys had brought a rosy picture for a candidate hailing from the same community. It was not a surprise for many when Sharma lost the 2023 Assembly elections. Infact, the party found him obedient and accepted the challenge. Former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan campaigned for Sharma in most of the elections whether it is for Mayor or legislative Assembly polls. In the 2018 elections too, Congress’ Arif Aqeel had won the election. The runners-up candidate was Alok Sharma from BJP who secured 54,241 votes. Winning margin was 4,026 votes. Sharma contested the election from the same seat in 2008 too but he lost to Arif Aqeel with a huge margin of votes. Now, it seems that the party is going to reward him by offering him a safer bet in the General Elections 2024.