Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath refuted rumours of contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Jabalpur on Monday (March 11), stating that he will not leave Chhindwara under any circumstances.
Speaking to media, the Congress leader said, "I have no such plan to contest from Jabalpur. I won't leave Chhindwara in any condition."
Talking about leaders leaving Congress and joining the BJP, Kamal Nath said, "If Suresh Pachouri has left the Congress to join the BJP, it's his wish. He (Deepak Joshi) was from there (BJP) only."
Nakul Nath son of Kamla Nath is currently the lone Lok Sabha MP representing the Congress from Madhya Pradesh.
Kamal Nath's son declares himself a candidate for Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat
Earlier in February, Nakul Nath declared his candidacy for the forthcoming general elections in Chhindwara. In the 2019 elections, despite the BJP's victory in the other 28 seats in the state, Nakul Nath managed to secure a win from Chhindwara.
"There is groupism in Assembly elections as there are too many (probable) candidates but Lok Sabha polls are different. There is no factionalism in Lok Sabha polls because there is only one candidate. I will be your candidate," he said.
Amid speculation about whether the father or son will contest, the 49-year-old MP stated, "There will be support and guidance from Kamal Nathji."
"You have given support, love and blessings to the Nath family for 42 years. I expect you will continue to give your support and love in future," Nakul Nath told the gathering.
Chhindwara: Bastion of Congress leader Kamal Nath
The Chhindwara constituency in Madhya Pradesh is a bastion of Congress leader Kamal Nath. The Congress leader won the Chhindwara constituency nine times in 1980, 1984, 1989, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014. Nath lost the seat only once in 1997 when he was defeated by BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Sunder Lal Patwa in a bypoll.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Congress leader Nakul Kamal Nath won the seat for the first time with a margin of 37,536 votes. He was polled 5,87,305 votes with a vote share of 47.04%. He defeated BJP candidate Nathansaha Kawreti who got 5,49,769 votes (44.04%). The total number of valid votes polled was 12,48,031. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Gyaneshwar Gajbhiye stood third with 14,275 votes (1.14%).
In the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Kamal Nath won the seat for the ninth time. He was polled 5,59,755 votes with a vote share of 50.54%. BJP candidate Choudhary Chandrabhan Kuber Singh got 4,43,218 votes (40.01%) and was the runner-up. Kamal Nath defeated Singh by a margin of 1,16,537 votes. The total number of valid votes polled in this constituency was 11,07,498. Gondwana Ganatantra Party (GGP) candidate Hartapshah Tirgam Pardeshi came third with 25,628 votes (2.31%).
