Bhopal, Apr 08: Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leaving little chance to win Betul Lok Sabha by-election. Considering facts that Harda assembly segment was week for the party, the BJP is concentrating more on this segment.
Almost all the party leaders are conducting election meetings in Harda. In the recent past, State BJP president Narendra Singh Tomar, Ministers Rustam Singh, Gauri Shankar Shejwar and Ajay Vishnoi have addressed several meetings, while public meetings of noted film actress Hema Malini, national BJP general secretary Venkaiyah Naidu and Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan are scheduled in coming few days. Party sources claimed that some circles had claimed that Harda was weak as people were annoyed with the incident of Revenue Minister Kamal Patel’s son involved in a firing case. Taking this seriously, the BJP is concentrating more on Harda.
A senior office bearer told that the situation is improving fast in the Harda segment and certainly the BJP would gain from there. On March 4, police had registered a case against Sandeep Patel, son of Kamal Patel, and few others for firing shots at Congress leader Rajendra Patel at his residence. In past four days, the equation has changed completely in the Betul constituency. Earlier, Bijli-Sadak-Pani (B-S-P) and other local issues were in the campaigning, but later spiraling prices and Union Minister Kamal Nath’s statement that poor people have started eating more, have become issues.
Local people claim that meals of poor people have become a strong issue in the constituency, which other parties are facing difficult to face. Meanwhile, Union Minister Kamal Nath has claimed that statements of ruling BJP in connection with spiraling prices were misleading. In a statement, Nath said, “I have never given such a statement in foreign countries. I’m always with poor people and energetic youths.” Nath alleged that by raising issues related to spiraling prices, BJP is trying to hide its incapability in Betul Lok Sabha constituency. Regarding black-marketing of commodities, he stated that it was due to the involvement of BJP leaders from Bhainsdehi and Multai assembly segments.