MP Rajya Sabha Elections: As Narottam Mishra's Name Gains Momentum, Congress Faces Spectre of Cross-Voting
Of the three Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant in Madhya Pradesh on June 19, one is currently held by the Congress party. However, former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh has already expressed his reluctance to return to the Rajya Sabha; consequently, there is intense political activity within both the Congress and the BJP regarding the allocation of the ticket for this third seat.
BJP camp has already begun political maneuvering to secure third sea
Notably, the political buzz is far more pronounced within the BJP camp than in the Congress—particularly within the corridors of power in the Gwalior-Chambal region. The BJP camp has already begun political maneuvering to secure this third seat, driven by the conviction that if even six Congress MLAs engage in cross-voting, the BJP could easily triumph in this third contest as well.
3 major contenders from Gwalior-Chambal region have emerged
Amidst these efforts, three major contenders from the Gwalior-Chambal region have emerged within the ruling party: Dr. Narottam Mishra, Lal Singh Arya, and Jaibhan Singh Pawaiyya. At present, Dr. Narottam Mishra appears to be the most active contender.
The reason for this is that Jaibhan Singh Pawaiyya's candidacy is now all but defunct following his appointment as the Chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Finance Commission, while Lal Singh Arya is already shouldering the significant responsibility as the National President of the BJP's Scheduled Castes (SC) Morcha.
Dr. Sumer Singh Solanki could be nominated for one of other RS seats
There are strong indications that Dr. Sumer Singh Solanki—the incumbent MP and a prominent tribal face of the state—will be re-nominated for one of the other Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant in this election.
Path to victory for this third seat is not straightforward for BJP
Consequently, Solanki's representation would effectively fulfill the quota reserved for Dalit and tribal communities. This political arithmetic has somewhat bolstered Dr. Narottam Mishra's claim to the seat. Another contributing factor is that the path to victory for this third seat is not straightforward for the BJP; to win it, the party will be entirely dependent on a shift in allegiance among Congress MLAs or cross voting.
Narottam Mishra maintains contacts with numerous Cong MLAs
Since Dr. Narottam Mishra had previously led the team responsible for inducting influential Congress leaders with strong grassroots support into the BJP during the last assembly elections, he already maintains established contacts with numerous Congress MLAs and their influential regional patrons.
Narottam has demonstrated his prowess in political maneuvering
A section within the BJP believes that if Narottam is fielded for the contentious third seat, he could turn the tide in what currently appears to be a losing battle. Narottam has already demonstrated his prowess in political maneuvering during 'Operation Lotus'—the campaign orchestrated to topple the Kamal Nath government.
As Narottam's name gains momentum, those very "well-wishers" within his own party have once again sprung into action—the same individuals who had gone all out to thwart him when his name was previously floated for the Rajya Sabha elections and the post of BJP State President. Evidently, the greater threat to him comes from the machinations of his own people.