BHOPAL: Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and BJP national vice president Shivraj Singh Chouhan is emerging as a possible candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat against Congress veteran and ex-CM Digvijaya Singh, who will contest after 16 years.
Digvijaya, who last contested in 2003 Assembly poll from Raghogarh, had defeated Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
According to sources, earlier various names were in the fray from the Bhopal such as Mayor Alok Sharma, Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, ex-MP minister Umashankar Gupta and state party general secretary VD Sharma, besides ex-CM Babulal Gaur. But with CM Kamal Nath announcing Digvijaya’s name from Bhopal and the Congress list including his name, the BJP is now exploring options to field a big leader to ensure that the state capital remains with the party.
Sources added that Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s name is emerging as the strongest contender now for the BJP ticket.
Singh is believed to have held a closed-door meeting with state party president Rakesh Singh. However, Chouhan refused to comment on the issue.
“I don’t comment on individuals, be it Digvijaya Singh or anyone else,” said Chouhan.