Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency: Candidates for 2019 LS poll, past results, all updates

Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency: Election in Bhopal parliamentary constituency is going to be one of the most closely watched Lok Sabha contests as its Congress' senior leader and former state chief minister Digvijaya Singh, who is up against BJP's Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur. The election here is going to take place on May 12 in the sixth phase of the parliamentary election.

The polling in the 6th phase of Lok Sabha election will be held in 59 constituencies across 7 states. Results will be declared on May 23. The contest in Bhopal is certainly going to be one of the most important elections in 2019. For both the parties — BJP and Congress — a win or loss in Bhopal will be an answer for many questions.

Candidates of both the parties are invoking religious sentiments of the people and almost proceeding ahead with a similar style of campaign to lure voters. For Sadhvi Pragya, an accused in 2008 Malegaon blast case and is out on bail, said that it's a 'dharma yudha' for her to contest against Digvijaya Singh. 

On the other hand, for Digvijaya Singh, reports say that it wasn't a natural selection for him but since CM Kamal Nath wanted him to contest from a tough seat, he is contesting from Bhopal. Going by previous elections results, Congress has not registered a win here in the past 30 years and is considered as a BJP bastion.

To intensify the campaign, BJP president Amit Shah, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Sadhvi Pragya held a roadshow in the city of lakes hoping to add a boost to Sadhvi Pragya's campaign.

While Digvijaya Singh was seen marching with sadhus on the city streets with the support of hundreds of Sadhus. The march was led by former BJP leader Namdeo Das Tyagi aka Computer Baba. There are a total of 19.5 lakh voters in Bhopal, out of which, 3.5 lakh Brahmins, 2 lakh Kayastha, 4.5 lakh are Dalits, 4 lakh are Muslims and 1.25 lakh Kshatriyas.

Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency has a total of 8 assembly segments which include Berasia (SC), Bhopal Uttar, Narela, Bhopal Dakshin-Paschim, Bhopal Madhya, Govindpura, Huzur and Sehore.  

Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency 2019 candidates 

BJP: Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur
Congress: Digvijaya Singh

Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency results in 2014, 2009 and 2004
 
2014
 

Winning candidate: Alok Sanjar (BJP)

Losing candidate: PC Sharma (Congress)

2009

Winning candidate: Kailash Joshi (BJP)

Losing candidate: Surendra Singh Thakur (Congress)

2004

Winning candidate: Kailash Joshi (BJP)

Losing candidate: Sajid Ali (Congress)

Elections in 29 Lok Sabha constituencies in Madhya Pradesh is being held in 4 phases, out of which, two phases have already taken place on April 29 (4th phase) — on 6 seats and May 06 (5th phase) — on 7 seats. The polling on remaining 16 seats will be held on:

May 12 (6th phase): Bhind, Bhopal, Guna, Gwalior, Morena, Rajgarh, Sagar, Vidisha (8 seats)

May 19: (7th phase): Dewas, Dhar, Indore,  Khandwa, Khargone, Mandsour, Ratlam, Ujjain (8 seats)

In 2014, riding on Modi wave, the BJP bagged 27 out of the total 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh while only 2 seats were won by the Congress party. The voter turnout in the first and second phases of Madhya Pradesh Lok Sabha polls 2019 stood at 66.68% and 69% respectively.

Out of 29 Lok Sabha seats, 4 have been reserved for Scheduled Castes and 6 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes in Madhya Pradesh.

Role of Madhya Pradesh Assembly Election 2018 results

The BJP which was ruling the state for the past three terms lost to Congress in 2018 assembly election. Out of total 230 assembly seats, BJP won 109 and Congress bagged 114, forming the government in the state. While BJP's loss was due to anti-incumbency and other factors, it still managed to win over 100 seats and was only a few seats short to once again form the government in the state.

It would be interesting to see whether assembly election 2018 result would matter to lower BJP's tally in Lok Sabha election or will it be once that Modi wave will help the party to bag maximum number of seats in 2019.

Lok Sabha election 2019 is being held in 7 phases. Voting in the first five phases have already taken place. The remaining two phases will vote on May 12 (6th phase) and May 19 (7th phase). Counting of votes will take place on May 23.