No big surprises as BJP releases first list before Cong in MP

There were no major surprises because the party chose those constituencies where the choice was relatively easy and where it considers itself better placed. The party said it would release the names of the other 83 candidates for the 230-member house soon.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will contest from Budhni constituency,while senior Cabinet Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya had to settle for Mhow Ambedkar Nagar,a constituency he is not entirely comfortable with. While Vijayvargiya wanted to shift to Indore,his arch rival Sumitra Mahajan wanted a ticket for her son. But both senior leaders were left disappointed.

Vijayvargiyas confidante Ramesh Mendola,for whom he had vacated the seat in 2008,will again contest from Indore-2. Indore-1 MLA Sudarshan Gupta has also been fielded,though there were protests against his candidature.

Gwalior MP Yashodhara Raje Scindia will contest from Shivpuri,a constituency she represented previously,and MPs Bhupendra Singh and K D Deshmukh will contest from Khurai and Katangi constituencies respectively.

Ministers Devi Singh Sayyam and Ramdayal Ahirwar were dropped as was widely expected. Minister Nagendra Singh Nagod was not fielded because he had expressed his wish to opt out,while Forest Minister Sartaj Singh was fielded despite opposition.

Ministers Babulal Gaur,Narottam Mishra,Gopal Bhargava,Archana Chitnis,Ajay Vishnoi,Gaurishanker Bisen,Umashanker Gupta,Tukojirao Panwar and Vijay Shah,among others,will contest from the same seats. Former chief minister Uma Bhratis nephew Rahul Singh will contest from Kharagpur. The BJP has fielded Radheyshyam Dhakar from Raghogarh,a constituency from where Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singhs son Jaivardhan Singh is expected to contest.

While releasing the list,BJP general secretary in-charge of MP Anant Kumar said the party had decided to field an SC candidate from a general seat.

Several ex-MLAs and ministers have also found place in the first list. The only Muslim face in the list is former MP Aarif Baig from Bhopal North constituency,represented now by Congress partys Arif Aqueel,a strong candidate.

In releasing the first list a day before nomination day,the BJP beat the Congress,which is still struggling to finalise the names after claiming it would release the first list well in advance.