Madhya Pradesh: BJP, Congress Gear Up for Vijaypur By-Election

 Bhopal: The ruling BJP and Opposition Congress have launched campaigns for the upcoming by-elections to Vijaypur Assembly constituency under Sheopur district in Madhya Pradesh.

The two traditional rivals have geared up for a fresh face-off in a poll battle, a day after the results of by-election to Amarwara Assembly seat in the state were declared.

BJP wrested the Amarwara assembly seat falling under Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency, considered the fortress of Congress veteran and former chief minister Kamal Nath, from the grand old party after 16 years in the by-election.

Vijaypur Assembly seat has fallen vacant following the resignation of sitting MLA Ramniwas Rawat from the house, a couple of days before his induction in the Mohan Yadav cabinet.

Mr Rawat, a six-time MLA, quit Congress ahead of the just-concluded LS polls and joined BJP.

Chief minister Mohan Yadav launched the campaign of the ruling BJP in Vijaypur assembly seat on Saturday by visiting the Hanuman temple in Cham Chama under the constituency.

He later interacted with influential people in the locality.

Mr Yadav addressed a public meeting in Vijapur where he endorsed the demand by Mr Rawat to clear 15 road projects in the rural areas in the constituency.

State Congress president Jitu Patwari along with the senior leader of the party Sajjan Singh Verma on Sunday held a meeting of local party workers in Vijaypur, initiating the process for selection of the candidate for the upcoming by-election to the seat.

Mr Patwari exhorted the party workers to go to the people to tell them how Mr Rawat betrayed Congress by joining BJP a few days before the Lok Sabha elections.