Facing protests by supporters of disgruntled party leaders since the release of its nominations, the Congress on Wednesday replaced its candidates for four more seats in the upcoming Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.
In a communication dated October 25, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) fielded Ajab Singh Kushwah from Sumawali in place of Kuldeep Sikarwar; Virendra Belvanshi from Pipariya in place of Guru Charan Khare; Murli Morwal from Badnagar in place of Rajendra Singh Solanki; and Virender Singh Solanki from Jaora in place of Himmat Shrimal.
An emotional Mr. Sikarwar held Mr. Nath responsible for the cancellation of his candidature. “Why did they give me a ticket in the first place? But when they gave me a ticket, this [replacing me] is an insult to me and the people of Sumawali. I hold Kamal Nath-ji responsible for this. I was not even informed about the decision,” he said, adding that he would still contest in the election.
Nominations to the four seats had been declared in the Congress’s second list of 88 candidates released on October 19. The protests against ticket distribution, which began after the release of the first list of 144 seats, only intensified after the second list was released, with party workers demonstrating outside PCC chief Kamal Nath’s residence, the PCC office in Bhopal, and against candidates across the State.
Several party workers also took out protests against senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, and burnt his effigies.
The Congress had earlier replaced three of its candidates that were announced in the first list.
Sitting MLA from Morena district’s Sumawali, Mr. Kushwah, after being denied the party ticket earlier, had revolted against the Congress and joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
Mr. Kushwah had fought and lost the 2018 Assembly election on a BJP ticket. However, after the then Congress MLA Adal Singh Kansana switched over to the BJP in March 2020, along with the 21 other MLAs who revolted along with Jyotiraditya Scindia, now a Union Minister, Mr. Kushwah joined the Congress and won the 2020 byelection.
It has been speculated that the Congress would change its candidates for a few more seats, including Shivpuri and Amla. The party has fielded K.P. Singh, long-term sitting MLA from Pichhore Assembly segment of Shivpuri district, and denied a ticket to BJP turncoat Virendra Raghuvanshi. The move sparked protests from Mr. Raghuvanshi’s supporters, with Mr. Nath expressing his surprise over the decision.
The party had earlier held the Amla seat of Betul district for Nisha Bangre, who recently resigned from the post of Deputy Collector, but announced Manoj Malve as its candidate on Monday night after the State government delayed accepting her resignation. However, after her resignation was accepted on Tuesday, Ms. Bangre said that she was in touch with the Congress leadership regarding a change in the nomination for the seat.
