In the ongoing Lok Sabha Election of 2024, the Congress faced yet another significant setback while the BJP experienced an upsurge in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress candidate for the Indore Lok Sabha seat, Akshay Kanti Bam, made the decision to withdraw his nomination and align himself with the BJP just a fortnight prior to the fourth phase of polling on May 13 in this constituency.
Indore stands as the second constituency in the nation, following Surat in Gujarat, to deliver a formidable blow to the Congress. Mukesh Dalal, the BJP candidate from Surat, was declared victorious unopposed on April 22 after all other contenders retreated from the electoral arena. This marked the BJP’s initial triumph over the Congress in the ongoing election campaign.
The sudden departure of Akshay Kanti has significantly bolstered the position of the incumbent MP and BJP nominee, Shankar Lalwani, who is now poised to navigate through the electoral process with relative ease in light of this recent development.
In a surprising turn of events on Monday morning, Akshay Kanti Bam, accompanied by BJP MLA Ramesh Mendola, made an abrupt withdrawal of his nomination on the final day for withdrawal of nominations at the district election office.
Following Bam’s withdrawal from the Indore race, prominent BJP figure, state minister, and MLA from Indore, Kailash Vijayvargiya, took to social media to extend a warm welcome to him into the saffron party. “We extend our heartfelt welcome to Shri Akshay Kanti Bam ji, Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Indore, into the BJP fold, under the esteemed leadership of PM Narendra Modi, National President J P Nadda, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, and State President VD Sharma,” Vijayvargiya conveyed on social media, accompanying his message with a photograph featuring him alongside Bam in a vehicle.
Subsequently, Akshay Kanti Bam, having withdrawn his nomination, made his way to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in Indore and officially joined the saffron party. Vijayvargiya further shared an image on social media, capturing Akshay Bam seated alongside him and MLA Mendola within a car.
Indore, renowned as a bastion of the BJP, witnessed the Congress’s attempt to test waters by fielding a fresh contender in the form of Akshay Kanti Bam, a move that ultimately dealt a severe blow to the longstanding dominance of the grand old party. In the aftermath of this development, BJP leaders are now anticipating a landslide victory in the largest Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh.
Political turmoil ensued on Monday morning when Congress candidate Akshay Kanti Bam, accompanied by BJP MLA Ramesh Mendola, withdrew his nomination at the district election office, marking the second instance in the country, after Surat, where a Congress candidate withdrew from the electoral race at the behest of the BJP.
Further complications arose when a case was registered against Akshay Kanti Bam under Section 307, which he contested in court. However, in light of the sudden onslaught by the BJP, sources indicate that Akshay ultimately decided to withdraw his nomination. This reversal stands in stark contrast to the grave allegations levelled by Akshay against the BJP at the time of filing his nomination on behalf of the Congress.
Akshay Kanti Bam, who operates a law college in Indore, faced allegations during the college’s operation of failing to provide salaries and other amenities to the staff. It was widely believed that the Congress had merely used him as a pawn by awarding him the ticket. Akshay Kanti Bam himself acknowledged this during the Congress campaign events. However, he remained steadfast in his opposition to the BJP until succumbing to their influence.
In a retaliatory move, BJP spokesperson Narendra Saluja asserted on social media, “The native city of Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari, Indore, is now devoid of Congress presence… The party is absent on the ground… The Congress candidate has returned… Despite lofty rhetoric about the nation and the state, Patwari should resign from his position.”