Bhopal: Hours after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielded Hindutva activist Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur against Congress leader Digvijay Singh from the Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency, the latter welcomed her via a Twitter post on Wednesday.
Singh said that he hoped the 'peaceful and dignified' environment of Bhopal would 'attract' the saffron leader.
"I welcome Sadhvi Pragyaji in Bhopal and sincerely hope that the city's peaceful, educated and dignified environs would attract her," the former Chief Minister tweeted.
"I pray to Maa (Goddess) Narmada for Sadhviji and seek blessings from Narmadaji (Holy River) so that we all walk the path of truth, non-violence and religion. Narmada Har (Glory be to the Narmada)," Singh said in another tweet.
Sadhvi became the face of right-wing extremism after being arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in the blast case.
On December 27' 2017, a special NIA court had dropped stringent charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against Thakur and other accused.
Six persons were killed and 101 were injured when an improvised explosive device strapped on a motorcycle went off at Malegaon in Nashik district of Maharashtra on September 29, 2008.
Born in Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh, Thakur has had a long association with the RSS, the ideological mentor of the BJP.
A post-graduate in history, she worked with the RSS student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Durga Vahini, the women's wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
The high-profile poll battle between Thakur and Singh, the latter known as RSS basher, will be closely watched.
The Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency, which has over 18 lakh voters, including 4.5 lakh from the minority community, will go to the polls on May 12.
The BJP has been winning the seat since 1989. Alok Sanjar is the sitting MP from the constituency.
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