CHHINDWARRA: You land in Chhindwara and perhaps even much before that - on train travel between Bhopal and this township bordering Maharashtra, the state Congress chief Kamal Nath is the 'talking point'.
A large number of residents in the district only regard Mr Nath as the 'defacto' Chief Ministerial candidate and someone who can take on the 'mighty' BJP. However, things may not be so easy as presumed on the face value.
Chaudhary Chandrabhansingh Kubersingh is a BJP legislator from Chhindwara assembly segment.
Mr Kubersingh had won the seat in 2003 and to underline that it was not a fluke, he repeated it again in 2013 defeating the Congress nominee.
Local residents understand these finer facets of politics and say - it is true - Mr Nath is considered 'strong' choice for parliamentary polls, but in assembly polls - many other things count and thus going cannot be so smooth for the grand old party.
BJP is also holding seats such as Chaurai - Pt.Ramesh Dudey and Nathan Shah Kevreti, also BJP, represents Junnardeo (Scheduled Tribe) seat.
"We won four seats from this Chhindwara district. This time, we are targeting seven seats," says BJP's Chhindwara MLA Mr Kubersingh.
BJP sources also say there are strategies in place to fight Congress in the 'den' of Mr Nath.
"Firstly, we will clarify the wrong notion that Chhindwara development can be linked to nine times MP Kamal Nath. On the contrary, the developments in this region is due to the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government," says a BJP poll manager.
But the poll manager hastens to admit that till Mr Nath was made Pradesh Congress president replacing Arun Yadav, it was given to understand in the political circles that both Nath and the Chief Minister Chouhan enjoyed 'good personal rapport' and this kept on ensuring good developmental works in the district.
On this backdrop, a local Congress supporter says Amarwara (Scheduled Tribe reserved) Constituency is a Congress stronghold and in 2013, the seat was won by Kamlesh Shah.
"Several developmental projects got easily cleared, this is a fact," says the source and pointed out that probably under the initiatives of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Navodaya and Kendriya Vidyalayas have been brought in Chhindwara.
Even BJP supporters agree here that the road to the citadel of power in Bhopal for November 28 polls to be fought fiercely will go through Chhindwara district.
"It is turning battle royale in Chhindwara," says Abhinash Agrawal, a local BJP office bearer from Parasia assembly segment.
But the BJP workers seem to bank on the successful 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra', the Chief Minister Mr Chouhan had here.
Local residents recall that the Yatra in September was "highly successful" in terms of turnout.
The Chief Minister was also 'caustic' in remarks and did not hesitate to describe Mr Kamal Nath as a 'friend'.
"I have one message for my friend Kamal Nathji and want to know why Chhindwara did not see any development when Congress leader Digvijaya Singh was in power," the Chief Minister had said, according to local BJP workers.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had also addressed the gathering and the overall function went on very well from the BJP's perspective.
What will finally happen electorally in the district of course remains in the womb of time.