MP: Shivraj Singh Chouhan may retain Budhni, resign from Vidisha seat

Bhopal, Dec 20:

Chief Minister

, who won the just concluded

from Vidisha and Budhni, is likely to retain the latter, which is his traditional seat.

As per the rules, a legislator winning from two seats has to relinquish one of them within 14 days of the constitution of the new Assembly. The new State Assembly was constituted last week.

Accordingly, Chouhan will have to resign from either Vidisha or Budhni by December 23. Chouhan is likely to resign from Vidisha and retain Budhni, his traditional seat in Sehore district, state BJP sources told PTI today. In run up to the November 25 Assembly polls, the BJP leader had announced that he will retain the seat which gets him the highest victory margin.

Chouhan will have to resign from either Vidisha or Budhni by December 23.

The victory of the 54-year-old saffron stalwart, who was sworn-in as Chief Minister for a third time on December 14, was never in doubt from both seats. Chouhan won from Budhni by 84,805 votes, the second highest margin in MP, by defeating Congress candidate Mahendra Singh Chouhan.

However, in Vidisha he faced a tough fight from Congress' Shashank Bhargava and won by only 16,996 vote gap. Vidisha was represented by former BJP Minister Raghavji in the last Assembly. Raghavji resigned in July this year over allegations of sexually harassing his domestic help.

He was expelled from BJP and later arrested. It was speculated that BJP fielded Chouhan from Vidisha because of fear of losing the seat, its traditional stronghold, in the wake of Raghavji's arrest. According to sources, Raghavji was insisting on fielding his daughter from Vidisha but BJP was not sure of her victory and therefore nominated Chouhan at the last moment.

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj is the sitting Lok Sabha MP from Vidisha. The high-profile Parliamentary seat in the past has been represented by former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee.

However, lack of development remains a major issue in Vidisha, located about 75 km from state capital Bhopal. Chouhan, after winning the polls, visited the town twice and chaired a meeting with district officials to take stock and give push to development works.

The Government has announced a slew of schemes for the constituency.

PTI