Congress nominee from Indore joining BJP raises questions on Jitu Patwari's leadership

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Bhopal, April 29 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh witnessed yet another political twist ahead of the third phase of polling scheduled on May 7 after the Congress candidate from the Indore Lok Sabha constituency, Akshay Kanti Bam, withdrew his nomination and joined the BJP on Monday.

Importantly, the grand old party suffered the jolt in the home district of state Congress President Jitu Patwari, who replaced veteran leader Kamal Nath after the debacle in the Assembly elections held in November last year.

Patwari, a former state minister, had lost the Assembly elections from Mhow in Indore district. However, he was promoted as the state unit chief of the Congress after the party's defeat in the Assembly polls under Kamal Nath's leadership.

Now Akshay Bam joining the BJP has raised questions about the leadership of Patwari, considered close to Rahul Gandhi, in his home district.

Madhya Pradesh is among those states where the two big political parties -- the BJP and the Congress -- are locked in a direct contest. The Congress has given one seat -- Khajuraho -- to its INDIA bloc partner Samajwadi Party (SP).

The SP first fielded Manoj Yadav from Khajuraho before replacing him with Meera Yadav. However, Yadav's nomination papers were cancelled on the last date.

Akshay Bam withdrawing his nomination from Indore is also being viewed as a walkover for the BJP.

Madhya Pradesh BJP chief V.D. Sharma, who is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Khajuraho, said, "MP Congress chief (Jitu Patwari) questions the BJP, but the Congress candidate from his home district has now withdrawn his nomination. This is the real situation of Congress in Madhya Pradesh. The BJP will win all the 29 seats in the state this time."

--IANS

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