On the first day of Navratri, Congress unveiled its initial list of 144 candidates for the MP assembly elections, with a nod to numerology. In a mix that is heavily weighted towards youth, 69 of its 96 existing MLAs are running. Sixty five of the nominees were under the age of 50, including PCC president Kamal Nath. There are 19 women, six Muslims, 39 OBC, 30 ST, and 22 SC candidates in addition to the rest.
Numerologists claimed "significance" in Congress' 144-strong list, pointing out that the digits total 9, correlating to Navratri and the timing of the announcement. Nearly two months after the BJP took the lead by revealing a lineup of 136 candidates as of August 17, Congress released its first list of candidates. In Shivraj Singh Chouhan's stronghold of Budhni, the grand old party has fielded actor Vikram Mastal, who portrayed Hanuman in a 2008 TV series.
Factional quotas appear to have been ignored, although some of the top leaders had their way in a few seats despite predictions of internal surveys. Two stalwarts - former Speaker NP Prajapati and former Union minister Kantilal Bhuria – have been dropped.
Leader of the opposition Dr Govind Singh has been fielded at Lahar in Bhind district, while former BJP MP Bodh Singh Bhagat, who recently joined Congress, will contest the Katangi seat in Balaghat district.
With the incumbent MLA Sanjay Shukla of the Congress receiving the nomination against Kailash Vijayvargiya of the BJP, Indore-1 is set to be a nail-biting contest. Another competitive race is anticipated in Jabalpur South, where the incumbent MP and former state BJP president Tarun Bhanot will face off against Tarun Bhanot.