In the Gwalior-Chambal region, there are 5 strongholds of the Congress, which have become a dream for the BJP to conquer. In the Ram wave of 1990, the Uma wave of 2003, the Shivraj wave of 2008 and the Modi-Shivraj wave of 2013, the BJP had to face defeat on these forts. Shivraj Singh Chouhan himself has faced defeat here. This is the reason that this time BJP’s Shah himself will lay the political ground for climbing these forts. With the help of victory on these strongholds, BJP will be able to pave the way for success in 2023.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan is considered as one man army in MP BJP. Shivraj, popularly known as Mama, has maintained a streak of victory from Lok Sabha to Vidhansabha. But do you know that Shivraj himself has faced defeat in the assembly elections. In the Uma wave of 2003, Shivraj entered the fray to storm the Raghogarh fort of Digvijay Singh. But Shivraj lost the election to Diggi Raja. Not only Raghogarh, there are 5 such forts in Gwalior-Chambal region, which have become difficult and sometimes impossible for the BJP to penetrate. Let us tell you which are the bastions which have become BJP’s dream to win.
Fort No. 1- Raghogarh (District Guna)
Winning the fort of Raghogarh remains a dream for the BJP even today. Laxman Singh won from Raghogarh in 1990 and 1993. 1998 and 2003 – Digvijay Singh won. In the 2003 elections, Digvijay Singh had given a crushing defeat to the then BJP state president Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Mool Singh of Congress won in 2008. Jaivardhan Singh won in 2013 and 2018.
Fort No. 2- Lahar (District Bhind)
The Lahar assembly seat in Bhind district is also a stronghold of the Congress, which the BJP has not been able to penetrate for the last 33 years. On this seat, Congress leader Dr. Govind Singh is frozen like Angad’s leg. Govind Singh has made Lahar seat successful despite Ram wave of 1990, Uma wave of 2003, Shivraj wave of 2008 and Shivraj-Modi wave of 2013. Dr. Govind Singh has won all the 7 assembly elections from 1990 to 2018 continuously.
Fort No. 3 Pichor (District Shivpuri)
It is considered a bastion of Congress. KP Singh of Congress has been stuck on this seat for the last 30 years. If you look at the statistics, KP Singh has won consecutively in the last 6 elections. BJP is still cherishing the dream of winning this seat even after hard work. KP Singh has also defeated Swami Prasad Lodhi and Samdhi Pritam Lodhi, brother of Uma Bharti, who was the Chief Minister of the state on this seat. KP Singh has won six consecutive assembly elections from 1993 to 2018 on the Pichor seat.
Fort No. 4 Bhitarwar (District Gwalior)
Ever since the Bhitarwar seat came into existence in 2008, this seat has remained a dream for the BJP. Lakhan Singh Yadav of Congress is frozen on this. Despite Shivraj wave and Shivraj Modi wave in the last decade, BJP has not been able to defeat Lakhan Singh Yadav of Congress in Bhitarwar. In 2013 and 2018, strong leader Anoop Mishra has faced defeat on this seat. Since 2008, Lakhan Singh Yadav has won all the three consecutive elections.
Fort No. 5 Dabra (District Gwalior)
Dabra is occupied by Congress for the last decade and a half. In the three assembly elections of 2008, 2013 and 2018, Imarti Devi of Congress won and captured. In the 2020 by-election, when Imarti Devi defected to BJP along with Scindia. Even then the Dabra seat went to the Congress. Imarti Devi lost this seat after joining BJP. Congress’s Suresh Raje defeated Imarti Devi, who contested on a BJP ticket. If you look at the statistics, Imarti Devi of Congress won Dabra seat in 2008, 2013, 2018. In the 2020 by-election, Suresh Raje of INC won.
BJP hopes – this time it will demolish the bastions of Congress
BJP leader Amit Shah is eyeing these seats this time. The top leaders of the BJP brainstormed and it came out that the BJP fields weak candidates in these bastions of the Congress in order to give them a walk-over. This is the reason that when the matter reached Shah, this time the candidates on these seats would be decided after getting his stamp. Madhya Pradesh Horticulture Minister Bharat Singh Kushwaha says that we will field strong candidates on those seats where we had to face continuous defeat.
