Battle for Budhni: Can BJP hold on? Congress declares candidates for MP, Assam by-polls

Will the BJP be able to defend its stronghold Budhni in the upcoming Madhya Pradesh by-elections? The question looms large as the Congress has fielded a formidable candidate for the seat that recently fell vacant, previously held by Union minister and former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

The Congress has announced its official candidates for two Assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh including Budhni, as well as four seats in Assam. The list was released by Congress MP and general-secretary K.C. Venugopal. The by-elections are scheduled for next month.

In Madhya Pradesh, the Congress has nominated Mukesh Malhotra for the Vijaypur constituency and former MLA Raj Kumar Patel for Budhni. The BJP has already declared its candidates, setting the stage for high-stakes battles in both seats. Patel will face former BJP MP Ramakant Bhargava in Budhni, while Malhotra is set to challenge state minister Ramniwas Rawat in Vijaypur.

The Budhni seat, a stronghold of Chouhan, became vacant after his election to the Lok Sabha. Speculation had initially centered on Chouhan’s politically active elder son, Kartikeya, as a likely candidate. However, the BJP has put forward Ramakant Bhargava, a close confidant of Chouhan, putting an end to these rumors. Bhargava, who was Chouhan’s nominee for the Vidisha Lok Sabha seat in 2019, was replaced by Chouhan himself as the Lok Sabha candidate in 2024. Now, Bhargava is set to contest from Budhni in Chouhan's place.

In the last assembly elections, Chouhan secured a landslide victory over Congress candidate Vikram Mastal, securing 1,64,951 votes and 70.7 per cent of the vote share. Mastal lagged significantly with just 59,977 votes, resulting in a decisive victory margin.

The stakes are particularly high in Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP currently holds majority in the Assembly with 129 out of 230 seats in the 2023 elections, with 96 seats going to the Congress, making the by-polls pivotal as both parties aim to strengthen their positions. The Congress, with these candidate selections, will seek to consolidate its voter base, while the BJP looks to retain its grip by fielding prominent figures.

The by-polls will serve as a litmus test for both parties’ strategies in the lead-up to the larger state elections, with the Congress hoping to regain momentum and the BJP striving to secure its hold on vital seats.