Amid Close Contest With Congress, Amit Shah to Give Final Push to BJP's Campaign in Poll-bound MP

Indore: As the high-octane campaigning for the Madhya Pradesh polls draws to a close, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah will conclude his election rallies with a roadshow in Indore before addressing a public rally in nearby Dhar.

Shah’s rally is widely seen as a reply to Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s mega roadshow during the earlier part of his campaigning. The BJP president also followed in the footsteps of the Gandhi scion, who had paid a visit to a sarafa (late-night market) in Indore. Flanked by party general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, Shah too visited a sarafa and indulged in some Indori delicacies

On Monday, the BJP chief addressed an election rally in Dhar and Ratlam before returning to Indore to hold a mega roadshow in favour of party candidates who are facing a tough challenge from Congress nominees this time round. Shah had reached Indore on Sunday evening and held close-door discussions with party leaders.

The extent of how close the contest between the Congress and BJP is could be understood from the fact that the BJP nominee from Indore-2, Ramesh Mendola, who had created a record in the 2013 polls by winning the seat with a margin of over 93,000 votes, is facing a tough time taming his Congress rival, advocate Mohan Sengar. Sengar has been drawing huge crowds in his rallies, even during his visits to Nandanagar, where Mendola and his mentor Vijayvargiya reside.

A BJP bastion for years, Indore-2 has seen BJP nominees trampling Congress candidates in the past. Among other candidates, Vijayvargiya’s son Akash is also engaged in a keen battle against three-time MLA and Congress candidate Ashwin Joshi, turning the polls into a prestige issue for Vijayvargiya, the BJP’s mainstay in Indore.

The Malwa-Nimar region which is said to be the key to power in Madhya Pradesh with its 66 seats is again expected to play the kingmaker. BJP, which had won 56 seats in 2013, is desperate to keep a hold on the region to ensure a smooth return to power in 2018. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his Chhattisgarh counterpart Raman Singh will also campaign in MP.

For Congress, senior leaders, including Digvijaya Singh, Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia, will give final shape to the campaigning. Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal will reach Sheopur and former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will hold rallies in Chhatarpur.