MP assembly polls: Congress replaces candidates on 4 assembly seats

BHOPAL: The Congress party on Wednesday replaced candidates on four assembly constituencies for the forthcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. The four constituencies include Sumawali seat in Morena district, Pipariya (Scheduled Caste) seat in Narmadapuram district, Badnagar seat in Ujjain district and Jaora seat in Ratlam district.

According to the revised list, Ajab Singh Kushwaha has been fielded from Sumawali seat in place of Kuldeep Sikarwar and Virendra Belvanshi will now contest in place of Guru Charan Khare from Pipariya (SC) seat. Similarly, Murli Morwal is in the fray from Badnagar seat in place of Rajendra Singh Solanki and Virender Singh Solanki has been fielded from Jaora seat in place of Himmat Shrimal.

Earlier the Congress party announced its second list of 85 candidates for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls and replaced three of its previously declared nominees. The Congress had in its first named 144 candidates for the state.

The Congress has given tickets to 62 candidates belonging to the OBC candidates to contest in Madhya Pradesh, in the two lists announced. The state assembly has 47 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes and 35 for Scheduled Castes. In 2018, 60 OBC candidates were given tickets by the Congress. Madhya Pradesh is one of the five states set to hold elections this year. The state is scheduled to vote on November 17, with the vote count taking place on December 3.

Voters will choose legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies. The last state assembly polls in 2018 saw the Congress coming to power, with veteran leader Kamal Nath taking oath as the chief minister.

Nonetheless, a political upheaval rocked the state in 2020, after the then Congressman Jyotiraditya Scindia, along with 22 loyalist MLAs, switched over to the saffron camp. The Congress government fell after being reduced to a minority and the BJP formed the government, with Shivraj Singh Chouhan returning as chief minister.