The Ratlam Lok Sabha constituency by-election of 2015 was caused by the death from brain haemorrhage and myocardial infarction of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dileep Singh Bhuria of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).[1] The by-election was won by Kantilal Bhuria of the Indian National Congress (INC) by 88,800 votes.[2]

BJP had won the seat, which is reserved for electoral candidates from the Scheduled Tribes, for the first time in the 2014 general election.[2][3] Before then, the Lok Sabha constituency had been won by INC candidates, except in the 1977 general election when it went to a Praja Socialist Party representative. The constituency covers the districts of Jhabua, Alirajpur and Ratlam.[4]

INC sent Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia, among others, to campaign in the constituency.[5] Among the BJP campaigners were the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and several Government of India cabinet ministers. Due to the significant tribal presence in the constituency, BJP also sent campaigners from that community.[6]

During the campaign, in August 2015, the BJP announced that party workers would recite the Hindu devotional hymn Hanuman Chalisa near the polling booths. This caused opposition leaders to accuse the BJP of inciting religious polarisation but the BJP said it was just promoting cultural nationalism.[4]

The BJP candidate was Nirmala Bhuria, the daughter of the deceased MP and herself a Member of the State Legislative Assembly for the Petlawad constituency in Madhya Pradesh. Vijay Haari was the candidate of Janata Dal (United). The Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Gondwana Ganatantra Party, Rashtriya Samanta Dal and Bahujan Sangharsh Dal extended their support to his candidature.[7][8]

The elections were held on 21 November 2015 and the result was declared on 24 November.[2][6] Voter turnout was 62.46 per cent.[7]

References

  1. ^ "BJP MP Dileep Singh Bhuria passes away in Gurgaon hospital". The Economic Times. Press Trust of India. 24 June 2015. Retrieved 2015-06-30.
  2. ^ a b c Ghatwai, Milind (25 November 2015). "Madhya Pradesh: BJP loses crucial Ratlam bypoll, Congress claims 'revival' in victory". The Indian Express. Bhopal. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  3. ^ "Ratlam-Jhabua parliamentary by-polls: Keen tussle between Cong, BJP". Hindustan Times. Indore. 13 September 2015. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
  4. ^ a b "BJP recites 'Hanuman Chalisa' at polling booths in Ratlam". The Economic Times. Bhopal. 9 August 2015. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
  5. ^ Ghatwai, Milind (17 November 2015). "Ratlam Lok Sabha by-polls : Upbeat Cong and wary BJP give this seat all they have". The Indian Express. Bhopal. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
  6. ^ a b Sharma, Girish (18 November 2015). "BJP firm on winning Ratlam-Jhabua polls". The Pioneer. Bhopal. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
  7. ^ a b Shastri, Chhotu (22 November 2015). "MP by-election battle: 62% turnout at Ratlam-Jhabua constituency". Hindustan Times. Jhabua/Ratlam. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  8. ^ Press Trust of India (9 November 2015). "Sharad Yadav, Nitish to campaign in Ratlam-Jhabua by-poll". The Economic Times. Bhopal. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
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