MP: Kartikey Chouhan steals limelight in Budhni constituency

Bhopal, Oct 25 (IANS) Kartikey Chouhan, the elder son of BJP stalwart Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has stolen all the limelight in his father's bastion Budhni ahead of bypolls more than the party candidate Ramakant Bhargava. 

Junior Chouhan is leading the campaign for the upcoming bypolls in Budhni and mobilising the party's local workers in favour of the BJP's candidate Ramakant Bhargava. In the meanwhile, Kartikey's style of campaigning has also created controversy. 

Addressing a public rally, junior Chouhan was heard warning that if the Congress wins bypolls in Budhni, no development work will take place. 

"How will you go to Chief Minister (Mohan Yadav) and Agriculture Minister (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) to seek their help for work in your gram panchayats,” Kartikey was heard asking a Sarpanch. 

The Congress has objected to Kartikey’s style of campaigning, alleging the latter was threatening the gram panchayat heads. Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh advised him to learn politics from his father Shivraj Singh Chouhan. 

"Don’t give such speeches. Learn from your father. In a democracy, both the government and the opposition cooperate together in building the nation," Digvijaya Singh said. 

Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh also said that he was Chief Minister for 10 years, but never used threatening language. "He (Kartikey) must know that development works in gram panchayats are done under the Panchayat Raj Act, and not under MLA funds," Digvijaya advised Kartikey, calling him like his grandson. 

However, Kartikey hit back at Digvijaya Singh Congress veteran, saying, nothing is more threatening than Digvijaya Singh’s 10-year rule in Madhya Pradesh.

"Congress believes in fear-mongering," said Kartikey. 

Senior BJP leader and former MLA Rajendra Singh, who is upset with the party's decision to nominate Ramakant Bhargava for the Budhni bypolls, said: "We all had finalised Kartikey's Chouhan's name for Budhni bypolls, however, the BJP's central leadership denied him ticket due to being a family member."

Notably, a day before the BJP announced Ramakant Bhargava's name for the Budhni bypolls, Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with his family met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. However, it was said that the family visited PM Modi to invite him to attend Kartikey’s engagement ceremony. 

The Budhni seat, a stronghold of senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan, became vacant after he was elected as a Member of Parliament from Vidisha constituency earlier this year.