MP Congress could field 2008 legislator Javier Medha from Jhabua

BHOPAL: For approaching Jhabua bypolls, Congress is likely to field the party’s 2008 MLA Javier Medha from the seat. The only other likely candidate is former Union minister Kantilal Bhuria who being five times MP from Ratlam Lok Sabha seat could be sent to the Rajya Sabha, sources in the state PCC said. The seat has been vacated after BJP MLA GS Damor won the Lok Sabha elections from Ratlam and has been elevated to Parliament.
Jhabua bypoll is the top priority for the Kamal Nath government which is in majority with the support of seven MLAs from BSP, SP and independents.The Congress has 114 MLAs in a house of 230, two short of an absolute majority. Winning Jhabua can take the party one more seat closer to the magic number.
Sources said that Kantilal Bhuria is keen to contest the assembly seat. But the party is not eager since the former Union minister lost the Lok Sabha this year against GS Damor by a margin of 89,800 votes.
In the 2018 assembly elections, Congress fielded Dr Vikrant Bhuria who is the son of Kantilal Bhuria. Javier Medha was denied the ticket because he lost the seat in the 2013 assembly elections to BJP’s Shantilal Bilawal by a margin of approximately 15,500 votes. Medha rebelled and filed nomination papers as independent and secured 35,943 votes. Congress expelled him from the party and then brought him back before the Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, Dr Vikrant Bhuria lost the assembly elections to BJP’s GS Damor by a margin of 10,337 votes. Congress party leaders knew the seat was lost because of infighting between Kantilal Bhuria and Javier Medha.
“Both father Kantilal Bhuria and son Dr Vikrant Bhuria have lost the elections. Party does not prefer fielding either of them again,” a senior state Congress office-bearer said. “The only candidate who can win the seat is Javier Medha who alone as independently polled nearly 36,000 votes.
Party knows that rivalry between Kantilal Bhuria and Medha are a major reason behind defeats in Jhabua assembly seat and Ratlam Lok Sabha constituency. So if Medha is fielded for Jhabua, chances are that party will ask for Bhuria’s support and promise him another role.” The role could be a Rajya Sabha nomination for Kantilal Bhuria, party sources said.