MP: BJP leaders back Chouhan's wife for Vidisha LS seat

While congress is still looking for a face from Vidisha, BJP leaders in MP are batting the candidature of Sadhna Singh from the Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency. Polling will be conducted in four stages in Madhya Pradesh, during phase four, five, six and seven scheduled on April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19 respectively.

Vidisha: Madhya Pradesh BJP leaders are batting for the candidature of Sadhna Singh, wife of former state chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, from Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency after union minister Sushma Swaraj declared she will not contest the polls.

BJP MLA Rampal Singh, a close aide of Chouhan, said, "Sadhna Singh's name has been suggested and recommended by the district presidents of all the four districts spanning Vidisha Lok Sabha seat as also the sitting and former MLAs of the party. However, a final decision will be taken by Delhi and we are hopeful that her name will be approved."

According to BJP sources, Sadhna Singh's name for the seat came up after Chouhan decided no to contest the Lok Sbaha polls.

Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency comprises eight assembly segments- Bhojpur, Sanchi (SC), Silwani, Vidisha, Basoda, Budhni, Ichhawar and khategaon spread across four districts of Raisen, Sehore, Dewas, and Vidisha.

Except the assembly constituencies of Sanchi and Vidisha which are in the bag of Congress, rest of the six seats are being held by BJP. According to sources, all the six MLAs have agreed on the name of Sadhna Singh.

The high-profile constituency was represented by party stalwarts like former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1991, Sushma Swaraj in 2009 and 2014, and former chief minister Chouhan in 1991, 1996, 1998, and 2004.

Sadhna Singh had extensively campaigned for her husband Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Budhni and Vidisha assembly constituencies in the past and is a well-known face among the party workers and voters. Chouhan is sitting MLA from Budhni.

On the other hand, Congress is still looking for a face from Vidisha. It is being speculated that Congress may pitch Suresh Pachouri against Sadhna Singh.

However, Pachouri had faced defeat in the recently held state assembly polls at the hands of BJP candidate Surendra Patwa in Bojpur assembly constituency.

In Madhya Pradesh, polling will be conducted in four stages during phase four, five, six and seven scheduled on April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19 respectively.

Madhya Pradesh has a total of 29 Lok Sabha constituencies. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, BJP had won from 27 constituencies while Congress bagged two seats.

(With inputs from ANI)