‘Vote Cong MLA, and not a single brick will get laid here’: In Shivraj Chouhan’s old seat, son on campaign

The video shows Kartikey addressing a nationalist rally successful Budhni, and saying that if the predetermination effect is close, “how volition we look our leaders to inquire for work?”.

“Agar 19-20 hota hai toh aap samajhiye kiska nuksaan hoga. Apne pairon (pe) hum kyun kulhadi marein bhai? Apni polling mein gadbadi karke hum kyun apni izzat kharab karein? Kya humko nahin jaana apne mukhyamantri ke paas apna kaam karaane ke liye? Kya humko nahin jaana apne adarniya Krishi Mantri ke saath kaam karaane ke liye (If, by immoderate chance, a Congress MLA wins here… past you realise who volition suffer. Why would we harm ourselves? Why would we ruin our ain estimation by causing polling irregularities? Don’t we person to spell to our Chief Minister to get enactment done? Don’t we person to attack our honorable Agriculture Minister for our work)?” Kartikeya says.

Addressing the sarpanch, helium adds: “Bataayiye sarpanch ji, kaise karayenge aap kaam? Jawab deejiye mujhe, agar 19-20 hua, buss munh se jayenge hum humare netaon ke walk kaam karaane ke liye? Kaunsi sadak leke jaoge? Agar galti se bhi Congress ka vidhayak – waise hone wala nahin hai – lekin galti se bhi aa jaata hai, toh ek eent kisi ke gaon mein nahin lagne waali hai, samajh lena aap sab (Tell me, sarpanch ji, however volition you get enactment done? Answer me, if things spell wrong, however volition you spell to our leaders to get enactment done? What roadworthy volition you take? If, adjacent by mistake the Congress MLA wins – though that is not going to hap – past not a ceramic volition beryllium laid successful immoderate village, you recognize that).”

As the video became public, erstwhile main curate and Congress person Digvijaya said his proposal to Kartikey was “to larn from his father”. “In a democracy, some the authorities and the absorption enactment unneurotic to physique the nation. I was Chief Minister for 10 years, but I ne'er utilized this benignant of connection – your begetter is simply a witnesser to this… You are similar a grandson to me, not conscionable a son. This is my sentiment – you whitethorn judge it oregon not, that’s up to you,” Digvijaya posted connected X.

Kartikey responded by saying that the radical of Budhni were inactive frightened of Digvijaya’s 10-year regularisation arsenic CM. “I respect Digvijaya Singh… It gives maine happiness that chacha sahab (Singh) looks astatine my statements from a adjacent distance. On the different hand, erstwhile it comes to his statements, and that of Congress leaders, they lone speech astir fear. I would similar to accidental this, ‘Respected Digvijaya uncle, if anyone is frightened of anything… it is your ten-year rule, successful which you left… a authorities of destruction.”

BJP spokesperson Narendra Saluja besides defended Kartikey’s statements, saying they were “aimed astatine boosting the morale of BJP workers”. “He was saying that it would beryllium hard to get enactment done with a Congress MLA.”

The BJP has fielded Ramakant Bhargava for the November 13 Budhni Assembly bypoll. But, elder BJP leaders, including Saluja, said that it was Kartikey who is “running the full run successful Budhni”. Over the past fewer days, helium has been gathering enactment workers astatine booth, mandal and artifact levels.

Kartikey brushes speech immoderate proposition that helium wanted the Budhni spot summons for himself, saying that helium doesn’t request 1 “to sojourn my father’s location base”. Bhargava, Kartikeya has said, is similar his “grandfather” and helium was conscionable helping his campaign.

Asked astir his governmental ambitions astatine a gathering astatine the commencement of the campaign, Kartikey said: “Mein aaj se nahin, 20 saal, 10 saal se aa raha hoon aap logon ke beech mein, ghoom raha hoon. Mujhe summons nahin mila, mujhe pata hai. Aage bhi koi nahin hai mujhe mile (It’s not the archetypal clip I person travel here, I person been coming for 10-20 years, been amidst you. I didn’t get the ticket, I know. There is nary warrant I volition get it successful the aboriginal either). Still, I americium amidst you. You cognize why? Because I emotion each of you, attraction for your well-being. Isiliye apna bhala-bhura aap bhi samajhiye (So you excessively deliberation astir what’s bully for you).”

The BJP Budhni run has had its stock of campaigner troubles already. Rajendra Singh Rajput, a erstwhile MLA who resigned from the Assembly successful 2005 to archetypal marque mode for Chouhan, who won and went to go the CM, was not blessed astir Bhargava being picked – present that Chouhan had moved connected to Parliament. It was Kartikey who pacified Rajput’s supporters, aboriginal claiming that Congress members disguised arsenic BJP workers were trying to dispersed “dissatisfaction”.

Chouhan, who won from the Vidisha spot successful this year’s Lok Sabha polls, represented Budhni for the archetypal clip successful 1990, and aboriginal won it 5 consecutive times, from 2006 till 2023.