Digvijaya Singh was Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh from 1993 to 2003. He faced the anger of the employees when he retrenched 27 thousand daily wagers through a single order. Uma Bharati, chief campaigner of BJP in the assembly polls of 2003, took full advantage of the people’s anger over this anti-employee act. She also launched agitation against this decision. Besides this anti-employee decision there were many such issues on which he took anti-employee stand. His gesture to tender apology was appreciated by a large section of employees.

BJP leaders are busy reminding voters about the failures of his 10-year rule as Madhya Pradesh chief minister and the controversial statements he allegedly made in favour of terrorists and on other sensitive issues.

As a Twitter war intensifies between the Congress and BJP leaders over the tussle for the prestigious Bhopal seat and to claim their sway over voters in the Madhya Bharat region, the BJP IT and social media cell is ready with “flashback stories’ of the erstwhile Digvijaya regime.

Party leaders have prepared video-clips of public suffering during the Congress rule in MP, which was tagged as a ‘bimaru (laggard)’ state in the country along with Bihar and Jharkhand.

“The BJP is in dilemma over selection of candidates for Bhopal and other seats. The party must release newspaper advertisements for a suitable option” chief minister Kamal Nath had said on Saturday taking a dig at the delay in announcing names by the saffron party.

“We would surely remind people about Digvijaya and his treacherous ten year rule that ended in 2003. His role in ruining the state by not providing bijli (electricity), sadak (road) and paani (water) could never be forgotten. We will caution the public not to fail in the same trap as the Congress has taken public for having short memory” BJP IT cell in-charge Shivraj Dabi told reporters.

Sources revealed that the BJP is targeting first time voters and youths who can get easily swayed. The Congress is surprisingly mum about the achievements of Digvijaya’s 10-year rule. The Congress government during its first term made innovations in strengthening self-help groups, panchayats and primary education through Rajiv Gandhi Shiksha Mission, which failed to get a fillip during the 15 year saffron rule.

To queries on works undertaken during the BJP rule the saffron workers aptly respond with adverse comments on Digvijaya’s regime. During the assembly elections in 2008, 2013 and 2018, BJP continued to compare its functioning with the Congress rule of 1993 to 2003 ranging from agriculture production, irrigation to finances.

The BJP also accused Digvijaya of hobnobbing with terrorists though it has never sued him despite being challenged. The party has a full arsenal of controversial comments made by the Congress veteran on sensitive issues related to terrorism, relations with Pakistan and doubts raised over the achievements of the saffron party.

“In Bhopal even a BJP worker would emerge victorious against Digvijaya. I challenge and people must note down that on May 23, when the results are declared, BJP will emerge victorious in Bhopal and other seats in the state” said former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during his poll campaign in Gwalior on Sunday.

How much impact BJP propaganda will have on the voters because of 15 year rule is to be seen. The Congress has prepared a long list of the BJP’s failures including several scams including VYAPAM.

Whatever may be the BJP’s claims the opposition which it is facing over the selection of party candidates, is unprecedented and has already unnerved party leadership. Supporters of the BJP candidate from Balaghat Lok Sabha seat Dhal Singh Bisen and sitting MP Bodh Singh Bhagat clashed Sunday over the party’s denial to re nominate the latter.

Police had to resort to a mild baton charge in which no one was injured said one Police Officer. He said Bhagat’s supporters laid siege to the local BJP office between 11 am to 3 pm and locked it after which they were baton charged. “Two days ago, the BJP had dropped Bhagat and replaced him with Bisen. This had angered Bhagat’s supporters who wanted the party to reconsider its decision and give him another change to contest” BJP functionaries said. The situation was defused by BJP MLA Gaurishankar Bisen who arrived there and got the office unlocked they said.

Balaghat BJP president Ramesh Singh said he would submit a report to the party’s leadership on the incident, but some Bhagat supporters were heard saying they would quit the BJP if the situation was not rectified.

BJP has announced candidates for 18 Lok Sabha constituencies. Out of them most of the selected candidates are facing tough opposition from the party men. Besides Balaghat reports of open revolt by a section of party men are coming from Sidhi, Mandsaur, Bhind, Rajgarh, Mandla, Tikamgarh, and Shahdol. At some places opposition took violent turn requiring Police intervention. According to observers BJP never faced such outburst by party men. (IPA Service)