Bhopal: The Rajya Sabha election in Madhya Pradesh has turned into a high stakes political contest after the BJP fielded a third candidate, prompting the Congress to consider shifting its MLAs out of the state amid fears of poaching and possible cross voting.
The election for three Rajya Sabha seats from Madhya Pradesh is scheduled for June 18. While the BJP was expected to win two seats on the strength of its numbers, the Congress was hoping for a smooth contest for its candidate Meenakshi Natarajan. However, the BJP’s decision to nominate a third candidate has changed the political atmosphere.
According to reports, the Congress is weighing a plan to move its legislators to a party ruled state, likely Karnataka or Telangana. The move is being discussed as a precaution to keep the party’s flock together before voting. Sources said the concern within the Congress is that any cross voting could affect its chances in the contest.
The BJP has fielded Tarun Chugh, Rajneesh Agrawal and the third candidate, Kevat, for the Rajya Sabha polls from the state. Kevat filed his nomination on Monday, which was also the last day for filing papers. Congress candidate Meenakshi Natarajan, who is known to be close to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, also filed her nomination the same day.
The BJP’s move is being seen as a calculated political gamble. The party appears confident of its legislative strength and may be hoping to attract support beyond its own camp. The Congress, on the other hand, is not taking any chances and is preparing to prevent a repeat of situations where opposition MLAs have either switched sides or voted against the party line.
Rajya Sabha elections are often decided by numbers inside state assemblies, but they can become unpredictable when an additional candidate enters the fray. In such contests, every vote becomes important, and even a small shift can change the final result.
The development has once again brought back the phrase “resort politics” into discussion, where parties keep their MLAs together at a secured location ahead of crucial votes. The Congress has used this tactic in the past in other states during politically sensitive moments.
For Madhya Pradesh, the coming days will be watched closely. The BJP has raised the stakes by forcing a contest, while the Congress is trying to protect its numbers. The result on June 18 will show whether this was only a pressure tactic or a serious challenge to the Congress seat.