‘Hometurf Guna will be a cakewalk for Jyotiraditya’

Guna, MP: Congress veteran Jyotiraditya Scindia seems to be leaving nothing to chance to record his fifth consecutive win in Guna Lok Sabha constituency, considered the pocketborough of his family, in Madhya Pradesh in the ensuing polls even though he has found in his BJP rival K.P. Yadav, a mere “token resistance” to his victory.

He has stepped up his campaign a couple of weeks ago taking a break from his new assignment as in-charge of elections in western Uttar Pradesh, covering the sprawling constituency by holding rallies, public meetings and “Jan Darshans” (public appearances).

“I am your all weather friend, whereas others are only seasonal birds who just show up during election time and then vanish into thin air”, he told his electorates apparently referring to BJP star campaigners visiting the constituency to canvass support for their candidate.

Mr Scindia has however never made mention of his BJP rival in his address to the people, lending credence to talks that BJP has fielded a lightweight against him.

Mr Yadav, a former Congress leader, in fact, had created a flutter in BJP circle here when a video showing him taking selfie with Mr Scindia, went viral immediately after he was announced candidate for Guna by the party.

“Mr Yadav is absolutely no match to Mr Scindia's charisma. By fielding a lightweight like Mr Yadav, the BJP has reduced the election in Guna to titan vs pygmy”, Congress spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedy, a close aide of Mr Scindia, said.

The constituency, once represented by his father late Madhav Rao Scindia and grandmother late Vijayaraje Scindia, has been held for 52 out of 67 years of its existence by a member of Scindia family.

Mr Scindia has still left nothing to chance to retain the seat in the May 12 Lok Sabha elections.

He had given charge of steering his campaign in the constituency when he was asked by the Congress leadership to take charge of elections in western Uttar Pradesh in January this year.