MP polls: BJP wants two veterans to bow out

Bhopal: A rebellion is brewing in ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh with two veteran leaders of the party digging in their heels refusing to succumb to high command's pressure to bow out of November 28 Assembly elections in the state.

Former minister Sartaj Singh who was unceremoniously removed from the Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with senior party leader Babulal Gaur, an ex-chief minister, in 2016 on the “flimsy” ground of having crossed 75 years of age, on Sunday warned of revolt by him if the party did not re-nominate him from his constituency of Seoni Malwa.

Mr Singh, a three-time MLA, even allowed the private news channels to cover his talks purportedly with Union minister and campaign committee chairman of MP BJP Narendra Singh Tomar, while the latter was “persuading” him to quit electoral politics  and recommend his choice for his seat.

“Mr Tomar wanted me to bow out of the polls and recommend my choice for the constituency I currently represented,” he said. Incidentally, Mr Tomar and election in-charge of party and Union minister Dharmendra on Sunday locked themselves in a closed-door meeting here to resolve the matter by pacifying the two party veterans.

“I may explore other options if I am denied ticket this time,” he said.