Kamal Nath Faces Tough And Lonely Battle In Saving Chhindwara Amidst Exodus Of Aides And Aggressive BJP Campaign

As the 19 April polling date approaches, Congress stalwart Kamal Nath finds himself facing a tough battle to secure a second parliamentary win for his son, Nakul Nath, in Chhindwara.

This challenge comes amidst a significant exodus of his close associates, leaving him to largely fend for himself against the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) aggressive campaign to claim the seat, as per a report by The Hindu.

Chhindwara, the only Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh that the BJP lost in 2019, has become a focal point for both parties as they intensify their efforts in the lead-up to the elections.

While the Nath family has been actively campaigning in the constituency, with Kamal Nath himself deeply involved, several senior BJP leaders have also visited to support their candidate, Vivek Bunty Sahu.

The BJP's attempt to wrestle the seat from the Naths comes as a historical anomaly, as the party has only won once against the Nath family in the last 44 years.

Mohan Yadav, the Chief Minister of MP, has emphasised the "local vs outsider" narrative, portraying Sahu as a local candidate compared to Kamal Nath, who hails from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.

Kamal Nath, on the other hand, has been trying to connect with voters on an emotional level, reminiscing about his early days in Chhindwara and highlighting the progress he has brought to the region.

BJP has pulled out no holds barred campaign by pitting president J P Nadda, Union minister Anurag Thakur, state party chief V D Sharma, minister Prahlad Patel and several other leaders to campaign for their party nominee in Chhindawara.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also held a roadshow in Chhindwara. Senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya and Rajya Sabha member Kavita Patidar are also in Chhindwara to suprevise the electioneering process.

Despite the challenges and the absence of prominent national Congress leaders in Chhindwara, Kamal Nath remains confident, banking on a possible sympathy factor and his track record of service to the constituency.

However, the road to victory is not without hurdles, as several Congress leaders including Amarwada MLA Kamlesh Shah, Chhindwara mayor Vikram Ahake, former minister Deepak Saxena, district panchayat vice president Amit Saxena, various corporators, office-bearers of municipalities, sarpanchs, and several Congress functionaries have quit the party.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Ajay Dhawle has stated that nearly 5,000 Congress workers and leaders, including some prominent faces have joined his party. This has raised questions about Kamal Nath's ability to secure a victory without the support of his former allies.

Despite this, Kamal Nath's family, including his wife Alka Nath and daughter-in-law Priya Nath, continue to campaign vigorously for Nakul Nath.

However, with its historical significance and the fierce competition between the two parties, the battle for Chhindwara is set to be a closely watched contest in the upcoming elections.