In order to win the seat, where caste dynamics are anticipated to be crucial in the upcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, sitting MLA and Congress Candidate Sanjay Shukla has had to reconsider his poll strategy in response to the BJP’s decision to field its general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya from the Indore-1 segment.
After a ten-year hiatus, the Vaishya community member and former state minister Vijayvargiya (67) of the ruling BJP has been granted a ticket.
Shukla (47), a member of the Brahmin group, has been given confidence by the opposition Congress, which fielded him from his home district of Indore-1.
The election outcome in the 3.64 lakh voter Indore-1 assembly seat is anticipated to be heavily influenced by members of the Brahmin and Yadav communities.
Shukla will need to alter his electoral approach in order to hold onto the seat now that BJP heavyweight Vijayvargiya has entered the race.
According to people close to Shukla, the Congress is currently working on a new approach to address caste dynamics in this assembly segment. In addition, arrangements are being planned for a number of gatherings involving the opposition party’s national level leaders.
Shukla has been attempting to present himself as a local leader throughout the election campaign by referring his opponent Vijayvargiya as a “guest” and positioning himself as a “son, not leader.”
To challenge his rival, Vijayvargiya, a former city mayor, is portraying himself as the head of the entire Indore region.
Known for his love of performing bhajans, or devotional songs, at public gatherings, Vijayvargiya is attempting to gain the confidence of voters by promising to accelerate the development of Indore-1 and stop the trafficking of illegal drugs.
Shukla, on the other hand, asserts that he has supported his constituency’s residents through their pleasures and sorrows. In the previous five years, he has organized a number of religious events and bhandaras (public feasts).
Vijayvargiya has been in politics for forty years and has never lost an election. Between 1990 and 2013, he won six straight assembly elections from various seats in the Indore district.
Shukla was the only Congress Candidate to win all five of the urban Indore seats in the 2018 polls. The BJP secured the four seats that remained.
In the 2018 assembly elections, Shukla defeated Sudarshan Gupta, the closest competitor BJP candidate, by 8,163 votes.
Shukla, however, lost to BJP candidate Pushyamitra Bhargava in the most recent municipal elections in 2022, which was for the position of mayor.
Senior journalist and political analyst Kirti Rana asserted in an interview with PTI that Vijayvargiya had shown desire to become chief minister in recent remarks.
“For instance, he said at a public event a few days ago that he was not contesting elections just to become an MLA and that the BJP would give him some bigger responsibility,” Rana said.
However, Vijayvargiya also has a lot of obstacles to overcome in the Indore-1 electoral contest, according to Rana.
“The BJP high command has unexpectedly fielded Vijayvargiya as its candidate, bypassing local leaders who have been lobbying for a ticket from Indore-1 for a long time,” he stated.
This election, the debate over local candidates is becoming more and more pressing. Thus, he asserted, Vijayvargiya can lose the election if there is “internal sabotage” at the time of voting.
On November 17 polls for the 230-member state legislature will be taken, and on December 3 ballots will be tallied.
People also ask
Who is Vijayvargiya?
Renowned Indian politician Kailash Vijayvargiya is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He is well-known for his political clout in Madhya Pradesh and has occupied a number of important posts within the party.
What is Vijayvargiya’s role in the BJP?
Vijayvargiya has held a number of positions within the BJP, most notably that of National General Secretary. He has been heavily involved in party matters and has made a substantial growth contribution.
How has Vijayvargiya’s political journey evolved over the years?
Vijayvargiya’s political career has steadily progressed, beginning with grassroots party activity and culminating in his rise to prominence as a BJP leader. His path demonstrates his commitment to the party’s goals.
