BJP adopts Malehra model for Shivpuri bypoll

Bhopal, May 15 (UNI) Taking a strategic decision regarding the coming bypoll to Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri assembly constituency, linked to the Scindia royal family's prestige, the ruling BJP has fielded Mr Ganesh Gautam who has been Congress legislator twice.

The BJP thus adopted the model of the Malehra bypoll where the saffron party demolished rivals' political equations by successfully fielding Mr Kapoorchand Ghuwara who had the image of a die-hard communist.

Mr Gautam filed his nomination papers today, the last day for doing so. ''The Congress has become a party sans principles. I was in that party not because of its ideology but due to my regard for senior leader late Madhavrao Scindia,'' he later told mediapersons in the presence of state Water Resources Minister Anup Mishra, who is former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's nephew.

The Congress nominated Mr Veerendra Raghuvanshi.

''Mr Gautam has served as RSS Convenor and is therefore well-acquainted with BJP policies,'' claimed Mr Mishra. State School Education Minister Narottam Mishra, Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Rustam Singh and Minister of State for Social Justice Narayan Singh Kushwaha were also present.

Mr Gautam entered the electoral fray from Shivpuri no less than four times as a Congress candidate. He emerged victorious in 1980 and 1985 but lost in 1989 and 2003.

The election has been necessitated by the resignation of BJP MLA and the then state Sports Minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia who put in her papers after being elected in the Gwalior Lok Sabha constituency bypoll.

UNI