NEW DELHI: In Madhya Pradesh, both BJP and the Congress did not shy away from giving tickets to dynasts and people who come from a political family. Of the more than 30 such candidates who were given ticket by the BJP, including sitting MLAs, 14 lost the elections. Similarly for Congress, of the 17 such candidates, including sitting MLAs, 7 lost at the hustings.
Archana Chitnis, who was a minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government and whose father Brijmohan Mishra is a former Assembly Speaker, lost from Burhanpur seat. She is among the 11 ministers of Shivraj Cabinet who lost the election.
Similarly, Hemant Khandelwal, son of former BJP MP Vijay Khandelwal, lost from Betul. Rakesh Singh, whose father Dilip Singh used to be a BJP MLA, lost from Bhind while Deepak Joshi, son of former Chief Minister Kailash Joshi, who was also a minister, lost from Hatpipliya segment.
In Niwas constituency, Rampyare Kulaste, younger brother of former Union minister and Mandla MP Faggan Singh Kulaste, too could not register a win while Jitendra Gehlot, son of Union minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, lost from Alot seat.
In Nepanagar, BJP candidate Manju Dadu, who is the daughter of former BJP MLA late Rajendra Dadu, too could not win. While in Bhitarwar, Anoop Mishra, who is the nephew of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was given a ticket despite losing in 2013, again lost this time.
As for Congress, Ajay Singh, Leader of Opposition and son of party stalwart late Arjun Singh, lost from Churhat, a loss which has almost ended his political career and possibly his chance to acquire the CM’s chair. He was defeated by BJP’s Shardendu Tiwari who is relatively junior to him and comes from a non-political family. Similarly, Saraswati Singh, daughter of former Congress MLA Patiraj Singh, too lost from Chitrangi seat. Hemant Katare, son of former Home Minister and Leader of Opposition late Satyadev Katare, too lost from Ater seat.