Madhya Pradesh assembly polls 2023: High-stake battles for key constituencies

New Delhi [India], November 16 : As the clock ticks down to the commencement of polling for the high-stakes Madhya Pradesh assembly election 2023 on Friday, a spotlight shines on crucial constituencies that hold the destiny of prominent leaders from both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress.
While the assembly polls feature the ruling BJP, Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), however, the primary battle in the Hindi heartland remains between the BJP and the Congress.
In the hours preceding voters' presence at polling booths, here's a glimpse into key battlegrounds that will shape the political landscape.
Incumbent Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been fielded by his party from the Budhni assembly constituency. The Congress has pitted actor Vikram Mastal against him. The 40-year-old played the role of 'Hanuman' in the 2008 TV serial 'Ramayan 2'.
In the Chhindwara assembly constituency, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath is contesting from his home turf against BJP's Vivek Bunty Sahu, former Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha president for Chhindwara district.
Kamal Nath had won the by-elections from Chhindwara in 2019 by defeating BJP's Sahu by a margin of 25,837 votes. Kamal Nath's tenure as chief minister ended in March 2020 following the rebellion by his party colleague Jyotiraditya Scindia, which led to Shivraj Singh Chouhan's government coming back to power in the state.
Former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh's son Jaivardhan Singh is contesting from his 'family' bastion, the Raghogarh constituency. However, with Jyotiraditya Scindia joining the BJP camp, the contest may get tricky.
Scindia, who is now the Union Civil Aviation Minister, has persuaded Hirendra Singh, alias Bunty Banna, son of Digvijaya Singh's cousin Mool Singh, into the BJP camp. Bunty Banna has been fielded against Jaivardhan Singh from Raghogarh by the BJP.
BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, one of the party heavyweights who has been roped in by the central leadership to contest in the state, is contesting from the Indore-1 constituency. The former Indore mayor has been pitted against Congress' Sanjay Shukla.
Though Shukla had won the 2018 assembly elections from Indore-1, the constituency had traditionally been a BJP stronghold.
Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel, yet another BJP heavyweight, has been fielded from Narsingpur. The Union Minister has replaced his brother, Jalam Singh Patel, who had won twice from the same seat.
The Congress has fielded Lakhan Singh Patel, who will be contesting against Prahlad Singh Patel in Narsingpur. Lakhan had earlier lost the battle to BJP's Jalam Singh Patel in the 2018 assembly elections. Narsinghpur, dominated by the Patel community, stands as a focal point in this election.
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra is contesting from the Datia seat. Mishra is up against Congress' Avdhesh Nayak, a former RSS functionary. Mishra, a two-time MLA from the BJP, had defeated Congress' Bharti Rajendra in the 2018 assembly with 72,209 votes.
In Lahar assembly constituency, the BJP has fielded Ambrish Sharma to contest against Congress' Govind Singh. Singh has the record of recording seven consecutive wins from Lahar. The BJP wants to make inroads into this Congress bastion.
Madhya Pradesh will go to polls on Friday, and the counting of votes will take place on December 3.