How These 30 Rebel Candidates May Play Spoilsport for BJP and Congress in Madhya Pradesh

New Delhi: If prediction of the exit polls, which aren’t decisive in case of Madhya Pradesh, comes true then both the Congress and the BJP will have only themselves and their ticket distribution to blame.

That’s because on over 30 seats rebel candidates – those who were hopeful of a party ticket but didn’t get it and went on to fight polls independently – could end up disturbing poll arithmetic of the two parties.

In the last assembly elections, fate of 33 seats was decided by a margin of less than 1% votes. Although both parties tried to assuage the anger, rebel candidates could change the outcome of elections in these nearly three dozen seats.

While Digvijaya Singh was seen to be the troubleshooter-in-chief for his party and was perhaps somewhat successful in convincing the Congress rebels to withdraw their candidature at the last minute, 11th hour phone calls made by Shivraj Singh Chouhan also benefited the BJP to some extent.

Both the parties did their utmost through their campaign managers and local leaders to get the rebels to withdraw their nomination.

Five-time BJP MP and two-time MLA, Kurmi leader Ramakrishna Kusmariya fought as an independent after being denied ticket by the BJP in two constituencies – Damoh and Pathriya. He is likely to cut into the votes of BJP’s candidate, incumbent state finance minister, Jayant Malaiya fighting from Damoh.

Similarly, the Congress could face a disadvantage in Jhabua where its former party member, and a popular Christian face Xavier Meda, fought against Congress MP Kantilal Bhuria’s son Jitendra Bhuria, independently after being denied ticket by the Congress.

The MLA from Bhind Narendra Singh, miffed after being denied ticket by the BJP, joined the SP and fought against the BJP from there. Sahab Singh Gujjar, who won from a Congress ticket in Gwalior rural in ’13, joined the BSP after his party denied him ticket and fought the elections.

Other seats where strong BJP and Congress rebels have fought this time are Vijaypur, Lehar, Karaira, Neemuch, Jawad, Malhargarh, Garoth, Suvasara, Manasa, Pushprajgarh, Anupur, Kotma, Sinhawal, Nagod, Mudwara, Panagar, Jabalpur, Sagar, Satna, Ratlam, Sailana, Jaora and Sehore.