By Express News Service
BHOPAL: In a significant blow to the Congress party’s prospects in the Vindhya region of Madhya Pradesh, Siddharth Tiwari, the grandson of former Vidhan Sabha speaker Sriniwas Tiwari, a prominent Brahmin leader, and son of former minister Sunderlal Tiwari, joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This move comes after Siddharth was denied a Congress ticket for the Teonthar seat in Rewa district. The event took place in the presence of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state BJP chief VD Sharma in Bhopal.
The Tiwari family has had a decades-long association with the Congress party, but Siddharth’s defection to the BJP appears to have severed these ties. While there were speculations that the Congress might consider his family members, Aruna Vivek Tiwari or Kavita Pandey, for the seat, Siddharth decided to leave the party.
Siddharth was a strong contender for the Congress ticket from the Teonthar seat, which was previously won by his grandfather Sriniwas Tiwari (famously called Safed Sher or White Tiger of MP politics) ) in 1977 and 1980. However, the Congress opted for an OBC Patel candidate, Ramashankar Singh, who had lost the previous two elections to BJP candidates.
The reasons behind Siddharth’s denial of a Congress ticket have been attributed to the influence of former Chief Minister Arjun Singh’s son, Ajay Singh Rahul, and former minister Kamleshwar Patel. This development adds a new chapter to the long-standing rivalry between the Arjun Singh and Sriniwas Tiwari families, who have been powerful Thakur and Brahmin leaders, respectively, in the Vindhya region.
Siddharth’s switch to the BJP is expected to have a significant impact on Brahmin voters in the Teonthar seat and other seats with sizeable Brahmin populations, including Mangawan, Gurh, Sirmour, Deotalab, and Semaria. This is due to the continued influence of the Tiwari family in Rewa and the newly created Mauganj district.
In 2018, the BJP had a strong show in the Vindhya region, winning all eight seats in Rewa district. Siddharth’s move to the BJP could hurt the Congress’s prospects, especially in the Brahmin-dominated Teonthar seat, and may also lead to internal conflicts within the BJP as various candidates vie for the party ticket in the upcoming elections.
Nakul Nath faces ireState Congress president Kamal Nath continues to be on the ruling BJP’s target. The ruling party has now targeted the ex-MP CM for leaving the assembly seats of his pocket-borough Chhindwara district to be announced by his first-time local MP son Nakul Nath. Just two days back, Nath – who has been declared by Congress as the party’s obvious CM face for assembly polls – had announced that for the remaining six seats of Chhindwara district, the candidates will be announced by his son Nakul in Chhindwara. Follow channel on WhatsApp
BHOPAL: In a significant blow to the Congress party’s prospects in the Vindhya region of Madhya Pradesh, Siddharth Tiwari, the grandson of former Vidhan Sabha speaker Sriniwas Tiwari, a prominent Brahmin leader, and son of former minister Sunderlal Tiwari, joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This move comes after Siddharth was denied a Congress ticket for the Teonthar seat in Rewa district. The event took place in the presence of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state BJP chief VD Sharma in Bhopal.
The Tiwari family has had a decades-long association with the Congress party, but Siddharth’s defection to the BJP appears to have severed these ties. While there were speculations that the Congress might consider his family members, Aruna Vivek Tiwari or Kavita Pandey, for the seat, Siddharth decided to leave the party.
Siddharth was a strong contender for the Congress ticket from the Teonthar seat, which was previously won by his grandfather Sriniwas Tiwari (famously called Safed Sher or White Tiger of MP politics) ) in 1977 and 1980. However, the Congress opted for an OBC Patel candidate, Ramashankar Singh, who had lost the previous two elections to BJP candidates.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
The reasons behind Siddharth’s denial of a Congress ticket have been attributed to the influence of former Chief Minister Arjun Singh’s son, Ajay Singh Rahul, and former minister Kamleshwar Patel. This development adds a new chapter to the long-standing rivalry between the Arjun Singh and Sriniwas Tiwari families, who have been powerful Thakur and Brahmin leaders, respectively, in the Vindhya region.
Siddharth’s switch to the BJP is expected to have a significant impact on Brahmin voters in the Teonthar seat and other seats with sizeable Brahmin populations, including Mangawan, Gurh, Sirmour, Deotalab, and Semaria. This is due to the continued influence of the Tiwari family in Rewa and the newly created Mauganj district.
In 2018, the BJP had a strong show in the Vindhya region, winning all eight seats in Rewa district. Siddharth’s move to the BJP could hurt the Congress’s prospects, especially in the Brahmin-dominated Teonthar seat, and may also lead to internal conflicts within the BJP as various candidates vie for the party ticket in the upcoming elections.
Nakul Nath faces ire
State Congress president Kamal Nath continues to be on the ruling BJP’s target. The ruling party has now targeted the ex-MP CM for leaving the assembly seats of his pocket-borough Chhindwara district to be announced by his first-time local MP son Nakul Nath. Just two days back, Nath – who has been declared by Congress as the party’s obvious CM face for assembly polls – had announced that for the remaining six seats of Chhindwara district, the candidates will be announced by his son Nakul in Chhindwara. Follow channel on WhatsApp
