After securing victory in the Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat, the BJP is now setting its sights on the Amarwara assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh, with a crucial by-election scheduled for July 10. Meanwhile, the Congress, led by Kamal Nath, is determined to rebound from its defeat in the Lok Sabha elections and reclaim its foothold.
The by-election in Amarwara has become a matter of prestige for both parties. In the recent Lok Sabha polls, BJP's Banty Vivek Sahu triumphed over Congress' Nakul Nath by a significant margin of 1.13 lakh votes. This electoral battle underscores the BJP's ambition to consolidate its gains following the assembly elections, where despite winning 164 seats statewide, it faced a setback in the Chhindwara district, losing all seven seats, including Amarwara, to the Congress.
The Amarwara seat was vacated when Kamlesh Shah, previously a Congress MLA, defected to the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, prompting the by-election. Historically, the BJP has struggled to secure victory in Amarwara since its last win in the 2008 assembly elections.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav is leading the BJP's campaign efforts, aiming to overcome historical challenges and secure a win in this crucial by-election. In contrast, Kamal Nath, a stalwart of the Congress, is vigorously defending his party's stronghold in the region.
Amarwara, a reserved seat for Scheduled Tribes (ST), boasts over 255,000 voters, predominantly tribal, who wield significant influence over the electoral outcome. Approximately 58% of voters belong to the ST category, with Scheduled Caste (SC) and Muslim voters also playing pivotal roles.
The main contest in Amarwara features BJP's Kamlesh Shah, leveraging her political experience and ties to local royalty, against Congress' Dheeran Shah Inwati, who enjoys strong tribal connections through Anchal Kund Dada Darbar. The Gondwana Ganatantra Party, known for its influence among tribal voters, also holds sway in determining the election's outcome.
As the election approaches, all eyes are on how tribal affiliations and local dynamics will shape the contest between BJP and Congress, with both parties deploying strategies to sway rural voters who constitute the majority in the constituency.
