The 2024 Lok Sabha elections have begun and it has been through 2 phases by now. The intense competition is in full swing and the nation’s fate is at stake. With around 1 billion voters the Indian elections display a dynamic and complex affair.
In order to understand the diverse needs of the electorate we need to take a closer look at them individually. This time with a NewsX Exclusive ‘The Road Stop’, we take a look at the Rajgarh constituency in the state of Madhya Pradesh.
Joining us on this trail is Congress leader Digvijaya Singh with the host Uday Pratap Singh, Editor. Digvijaya Singh has been the Chief Minister of MP two times. Although he was defeated in the 2019 Lok Sabha from the seat of Bhopal by Pragya Thakur. Digvijay Sigh was born in 1947 in the erstwhile princely state of Holkar in Indore. He is a seasoned veteran of the Congress party and has served as a Member of Parliament for two states, representing them from 1984 to 1989 and from 1991 to 1993.
Rajgarh is one of the 29 constituencies in the state of MP. It has a population of 2.4 million with 81.4% of the population living in rural areas and 18.6% living in urban. SCs and STs make up 18.7% and 5.8% of the population respectively. 1.6 million people were qualified to vote in 2019 out of which 74.3% turned out to vote.
In the interview, we kicked off by inquiring whether this would be his final electoral contest, to which he responded, smiling, “Look I am 77 years old now and I don’t want to be contesting elections at 82”.
Continuing our discussion, we delved into whether the pad-yatras he has been conducting have contributed to his engagement with the public, on which he elaborated, “Yes, I did pad-yatras for one day in every constituency and because of that many people connected with me and walked with me, and I was able to rejuvenate my relationship with people from whom I had lost contact with”.
Advancing the conversation, we sought his perspective on the most pressing issues facing Rajgrh and the nation at present, and he replied, “Inflation, Unemployment, the farmers not getting their due and the level of education is not at par”.
Concluding our discussion, we inquired about his nomination process and how it was unique as compared to typical nominations, to which he responded, “When we would gather large crowds it would create a lot of stress for the workers and the administration would not let them enter the office with the candidate that’s why I restricted them from joining me. That day every party worker was at the polling booth”
Rajgarh, formerly a princely state, is now predominantly agrarian, adorned with historic palaces, forts, and temples. Among its notable landmarks is the Kapileshwar Temple situated in the midst of the Kali Sindh river, contributing significantly to the region’s cultural identity. It is also home to the country’s biggest shrine of Sufism the Dargha Baba Badakshini.
As the state goes to poll in the upcoming cycle Digvijaya Singh is also hoping for a victorious return to electoral politics after 10 years, now what the electorate has decided for the upcoming polls only time will tell.
Watch the full video on our NewsX YouTube channel
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