Two decades after he returns to Lok Sabha fray, poll road looks clear for Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Madhya Pradesh BJP stalwart and ex-chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is contesting the Lok Sabha elections 2024 from his home turf Vidisha, which is slated to go for polls in the third phase on May 7.

Congress has fielded former MP Pratap Bhanu Sharma against the former CM from Vidisha which is considered as a bastion for BJP.

For Chouhan -- who has entered the Lok Sabha poll arena after two decades -- Vidisha Lok Sabha seat had served as a jump board to emerge as the longest-serving Madhya Pradesh CM involving four terms until December 2023. Before becoming the CM, Chouhan had represented Vidisha till 2004.

Vidisha is also remembered for its connection with veteran BJP leaders such as former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former External Affairs minister late Sushma Swaraj.

After he suffered defeat at the hands of Congress' Madhavrao Scindia in Gwalior in 1984, Vajpayee chose to contest from Vidisha and Lucknow seats simultaneously. Vajpayee, however, convincingly won both the seats in 1991 but preferred Lucknow and decided to vacate Vidisha seat. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Chouhan who was asked by the party to contest from Vidisha seat in 1991.

Though the BJP, which came into existence in 1980, was not a formidable force to take on the grand old party at that time, Chouhan not only won the seat but continued winning streak (four consecutive Lok Sabha victories) till 2004.

In 2005, Chouhan became the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and resigned as Member of Parliament from Vidisha.

Following his resignation, Chouhan's close confidant Rampal Yadav represented the seat on BJP's ticket in byelection. Later, former union minister and senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj was elected MP from Vidisha in 2009 and 2014 respectively. Currently, Ramakant Bhargawa of BJP is Member of Parliament from this seat.

Although Vidisha has remained a BJP stronghold for decades, Congress also tasted victory on two occasions in 1980 and 1984 when Pratap Bhanu Sharma defeated the BJP candidate. This time again the grand old party has fielded Sharma to wrest the seat from BJP. However, observers have claimed the Vidisha election as a "one-sided affair" as Chouhan is set to win with a record margin.

Not just Vidisha, seats such as Guna-Shivpuri (Jyotiraditya Scindia), Khajuraho (VD Sharma), Indore (Shankar Lalwani), Hoshangabad (Darshan Singh Choudhary) are going to be smooth sailing for the BJP and, victory margins by BJP candidates will be keenly watched, observers say.

Meanwhile, a unique trend has emerged amongst popular faces in Madhya Pradesh where the leaders have roped in their family members for campaigning. Jyotiraditya Scindia’s wife Priyadarshini Raje Scindia, son Mahaaryaman, Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s wife Sadhna Singh, sons Kartike and Kunal, Digvijay Singh’s wife Amrita Roy and son and MLA Jaivardhan Singh were seen sweating it out in extreme blistering heat during poll campaigning.