Cong's Indore candidate's exit surprising: Sumitra

May 04, 2024 17:32

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has expressed surprise over the last-minute exit of the Congress' Indore Lok Sabha candidate, calling it unfair and stressing that voters have the right to decide in a democratic set-up.

In a major setback to the Congress in Indore, its candidate Akshay Kanti Bam pulled back from the contest on April 29, the last date for withdrawal of nominations, and joined the BJP.

In an interview with PTI, Mahajan said, "I was surprised to know about the withdrawal of the nomination of the main opposition party (Congress) candidate in Indore... This should not have happened. There was no need for this development as it was written on the wall that nobody can defeat the BJP in Indore."

The commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh has been a stronghold of the BJP. Mahajan had represented the constituency eight consecutive times since 1989.

She said, "The Congress candidate (Bam) should not have done this in the elections. In a way, he also betrayed his party (Congress). But why should I use such words?"

Mahajan claimed she was unaware of the circumstances that led to such a situation.

The 81-year-old BJP leader, popular as 'Tai', said, "I don't know what actually happened. If all this has been done by our people, then it is wrong. There was no need to do it. If the Congress candidate has done it on his own, I will also tell him that he should not have done it."

She said candidates should contest polls if they have filed nominations.

"Democracy is all about going to the people and obtaining their decision about what they want. That's why elections are held," she said.

Mahajan said that after the first electoral change of its kind in the history of Indore Lok Sabha seat, some educated people from the city called her up to say that they would press NOTA (none of the above) option as "they did not like what BJP did".

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