BJP stronghold for 40 years, stalwarts eye Vidisha seat

BHOPAL: The Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency - which came into existence in 1967 - is considered to be a BJP stronghold for the last four decades.

This high profile constituency has been represented by party stalwarts like Sushma Swaraj in 2009 and 2014, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1991 and former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004.

Vidisha comprises eight assembly segments - Bhojpur, Sanchi (SC), Silwani, Vidisha, Basoda, Budhni, Ichhawar and Khategaon spread across four districts, namely Raisen, Sehore, Dewas and Vidisha. The total electorate in the constituency is 16,34,039. Out of these 8,72,100 are males and 7,61,915 are female voters as per 2014 data of the Election Commission.

Vidisha constituency is world famous for its Buddhist monuments, Sanchi Stupa and temples situated on the bank of river Betwa. In the 2018 assembly elections, Vidisha recorded a voter turnout of 74.02%. In 2013, the turnout was 72.6%, and in 2008 it was 65.63%. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the total turnout of voters was 65.71%, while in 2009 it was 45.13%. BJP won the Vidisha seat in 2014 by a record margin of 4.10 lakh votes.

In November 2018, Union minister Sushma Swaraj announced not to contest the Lok Sabha elections due to health reasons which gave a chance to other leaders to stake their claim from Vidisha.