BJP planning to field MPs in Chhattisgarh Assembly elections?

Raipur, Oct 3: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is determined to make it four out of four in Chhattisgarh in the upcoming Assembly elections and if reports are to be believed, the ruling party could even field MPs in the state election. According to a report in Naidunia, the saffron party is considering candidature of five MPs for the upcoming polls and they include Ramesh Bais (Raipur), Saroj Pandey (Rajya Sabha), Lakhan Lal Sahu (Bilaspur), Kamalbhan Singh (Sarguja) and Abhishek Singh (Rajnandgaon).

Citing sources, the report said Bais could be fielded from Raipur City Grameen while Pandey could get a ticket from Durg. Pandey, also the BJP's national general secretary, has reportedly not declined to contest the Assembly elections. When asked whether she would contest from Durg MLA Arun Vora, Pandey said she has always stood by what her party has decided and there would be no exception in future either, the report added. The BJP is looking for a strong leader in Durg after the death of senior leader Hemchand Yadav in April and Pandey could be its find.

Similarly, the BJP may field Sahu from Mungeli, Kamalbhan from Ambikapur and Abhishek from Kawardha constituencies, the report added. Of these three, Mungeli and Kawardha have BJP MLAs while Ambikapur has a Congress representative.

The BJP is cautious this year to replace its weaker MLAs and replace them with strong faces, even if they are MPs. The BJP is in power in the central Indian state, which was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000, since 2003.

The party has embarked on Mission 65 plus in Chhattisgarh this year, a figure which they are yet to touch in their decade-and-a-half rule in the state.