Gwalior: Gwalior Lok Sabha district has been a giant on many occasions as several top politicians, including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former Union Minister Madhavrao Scindia, have fought tough elections and emerged victorious from here. I have witnessed the battle.
Of the five districts in Madhya Pradesh, the Gwalior-Chambal region is currently witnessing the most intense election battle between the BJP and the Congress. The 2023 assembly polls saw a close contest between the two parties, with the Bharatiya Janata Party winning 18 seats and the Congress winning 16 seats in the region.
Gwalior constituency is set to go to polls on May 7, and Bharatiya Janata Party candidate and former minister Bharat Singh Kushwaha and Congress candidate Praveen Pathak are looking forward to the sweltering polls. Despite the heat, he is actively persuading voters.
The Scindia family was an influential member of the erstwhile royal family of Gwalior and had great influence in the constituency. In this segment, Vijay Raje Scindia won once, Madhav Rao Scindia won five times and Yashodhara Raje Scindia won twice.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2020 after resigning from the Congress, has been actively touring the constituency. He is contesting from neighboring Guna Shivpuri, and ensuring the BJP’s victory in Gwalior is critical to maintaining its grip on the region.
The Congress, which is working hard to weaken Mr. Scindia’s influence, is running an aggressive campaign and wooing various caste leaders.
The Congress is trying to settle a deal with Scindia after he joined the BJP in 2020 along with 22 Congress MLAs, leading to the collapse of the Kamal Nath-led government in Madhya Pradesh.
While the BJP candidates have made the Ram Mandir and the abrogation of Article 370 a poll ticket, the grand old party is touting regional issues such as unemployment and lack of infrastructure.
Congress candidate Pathak, a former MLA from south Gwalior, lost to Bharatiya Janata Party’s Narayan Singh Kushwaha by just 2,536 votes in the 2023 assembly polls.
While organizing a roadside rally, Mr. Pathak, MBA, said, “I am very grateful for the support that I have received from the public. “I am seeking a vote on development issues. I aim to create more jobs for local youth and improve infrastructure.”
Kushwaha, on the other hand, is relying on the blessings of former minister and Madhya Pradesh Congress president Narendra Singh Tomar. He won the Gwalior Lok Sabha seat in 2014 and is influential in the region.
Both the national parties are busy holding talks with leaders of different castes as a majority of the voters in the constituency belong to schedule castes, followed by Brahmins and Kshatriyas.
Highlights – Gwalior Lok Sabha Seats 8 Assembly Constituencies Gwalior Gwalior South Karela Bhitalwar Gwalior District Gwalior East Dabulapore Main Candidates Bharat Singh Kushwaha (BJP) Praveen Pathak (Congress) Total Voters : 16,09,237 Male : -8,53,269 Women: -7,55,902Third Gender: -66 Results 2019 Winner: Vivek Narayan Shejwarkar (BJP) Runner-up: Ashok Singh (Congress) Number of votes: 1,46,842 votes
issued May 5, 2024, 22:06 IST
