From Anup Dutta
It’s Samdhi [father–in-law] v/s Samdhan [mother-in-law] in Dabra Assembly constituency. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party gears up to reclaim its turf to the Congress 12 years ago and the Congress prepares its machinery to spring a surprise in the ensuing Assembly by-poll.
The BJP has made Women and Child Welfare Minister Imarti Devi its party candidate, while Congress has decided to put the weight on Suresh Raje.
Striking similarities between the two candidates are both have snapped their nearly three decade ties from the political parties in last six months. Both have fought against each other in 2013 and 2018.
But now, Imarti is contesting first time on a BJP ticket, the party in power in the State and in the Centre. Raje too is contesting for the first time on a Congress ticket, the main Opposition party in the State and in the country. Notably, in the elections Imarti has defeated Raje twice.
Another striking similarities is that the two candidates are closely related to each other. Raje’s uncle’s son is married to daughter of Imarti’s brother. By this equation, Raje is Samdhi [father –in-law] and Imarti is Samdhan [mother-in-law].
Frankly, the seat had fallen vacant when Minister Imarti Devi joined BJP after Jyotiraditya Scindia’s exit from the Congress party that collapsed 15-month-old Congress government in Madhya Pradesh in March this year.
No matter what political circumstantial developments took place in March this year, and regardless of an election after lockdown amidst coronavirus pandemic, in the current timeline, suspense appears to have become a key word in Dabra Assembly constituency where Congress is waging high stakes to rob BJP’s chance to make a comeback.
On Sunday, addressing a gathering in Dabra, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath without taking the name of the BJP candidate triggered a furore by referring her as an item.
Addressing a public gathering in support of his party candidate Suresh Raja, Nath had hailed him as a “simple man” unlike his opponent (Imarti Devi) who is an “item.” “Why should I take the name (of the opposing candidate)? You all know that person better than me. What an item,” he had said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised Nath’s comment, accused it of insulting a Dalit woman and laid a carpet bombing on Nath. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister wrote a letter to AICC Sonia Gandhi, Rajya Sabha MP Jyotiraditya Scindia sitting on a dharna to register his protest. The BJP has also lodged complaints in several Constitutional bodies, including the National Commission for Women, with Election Commission of India seeking an explanation from Nath over his remarks. Kamal Nath jee has send reply to the Election Commission during the stipulated time, said state Congress media coordinator Narendra Saluja.
Amidst controversy, yesterday a video has surfaced on social media in which Imarti Devi is seen making a contentious remark against Nath’s family.
“He (Nath) is a man from Bengal who came to Madhya Pradesh for becoming chief minister and has no manners about how to speak. What can be said to such a man? He has lost mental composure after losing the chief minister’s post….His mother and sister could be the item of Bengal (sic),” Imarti Devi can be heard saying in the 30-second video clip. The clip is shared on Twitter by Acharya Pramod Krishnam, who has contested Lok Sabha polls on a Congress party ticket.
Amidst controversy, outrage and protests in political circles, no matter what the outcome of the by-poll result would be in Dabra. The next question is: whether the voters of Dabra are going to throw respect on the age-old dictum “damaad khush to beti khush (if the son-in-law is happy, the daughter is happy)” or are going to change the old saying what they have done in the last two Assembly elections is to be seen.
The elections are crucial for former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath whose 15-month old government was pulled down, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan whose future the government depends on the outcome of the result and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Jyotiraditya Scindia whose future role in the BJP depends on the victory of 22 MLAs who resigned in March this year in an act of rebellion against the then chief minister Kamal Nath.
The by poll for the Dabra, remaining 27 seats were necessitated due to death of the MLAs or due to resignation of the then Congress MLAs.
Notably, out of the 28 seats, 27 were won by the Congress in the 2018 assembly elections.
In the 230-member assembly, the BJP has 107 MLAs and the Congress 88. There are 4 independent MLAs, 2 from BSP and a lone Samajwadi Party MLA. After the results, the majority mark in the assembly will be 116.
