Even in a constituency where the BJP won more than two-thirds of the votes in 2019, there is lingering unhappiness over the sidelining of a popular chief minister.

“Mamaji” or Shivraj Chouhan, the BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Vidisha, is the one residents swear by. Even after the four-time Madhya Pradesh chief minister’s dream run abruptly ended last year, with less-prominent cabinet colleague Mohan Yadav replacing Chouhan. He remains an MLA from the Budhni segment of Vidisha.

But the people are still asking questions of the party that — along with its predecessor Bharatiya Jana Sangh — has held the seat for most of its existence since 1967 with massive margins.

Chouhan has previously been MP from here, five times in a row from 1991-2006, and has overseen constituency work of late BJP minister Sushma Swaraj, who was
also elected to the Lok Sabha from here.

Local discontent, however, is nudging many voters out of saffron inertia.

In Chouhan’s pocket borough, fruit seller Parasaram Harle says he “has not got any special benefits for living in a VIP seat”.

“The BJP is popular because of Mama’s schemes for women, but there is corruption even in basic things that affect poor people like me,” Budhni resident Harle explains. “The wheat in the ration is of very poor quality. I sell it off as cattle feed for ₹10 per kg.

“Often, rations are not there in the shops and everyone knows that it is being sold on the black market. Even if Mamaji becomes an MP, I don’t think things will change as the government, both here and in Delhi, will remain the same,” he adds.

Dhaba owner Shubham Thakur in Raisen segment’s Gopalpur village feels that the Mohan Yadav government needs more time to perform and that the Lok Sabha candidates should be judged on their own merit.

“I will vote for any good candidate. I don’t care about parties any more. We need to focus on our village. Mamaji did a lot for women, but what about jobs?” Shubham counters. “I was able to start this dhaba as my brother who works in SBI invested the money. He told me to forget about government or even private jobs as I may not find one in Raisen.”

Neither Thakur nor Harle have seen the Congress campaign this time.

Rajesh Prajapati, in the Bhojpur segment, drives a dumper truck with sand mined from the beds of the Tawa and Narmada rivers.

“I have always voted for Mamaji,” the Barkhera resident tells The Telegraph. “But there are long power cuts now. There is also a serious water shortage.

“In memes and reels, you will see Modi going down. I now think Congress rule was better. My father could buy weekly groceries for ₹200, and I can’t even afford the same with ₹700. My salary is only ₹8,000. I don’t know about vikas at the national level but over here, the BJP is no longer focussed on the poor…. Building the Ram temple was good but do they expect us to beg on its steps?”

But people who have seen the Congress’s work are miffed too.

“At least with the BJP, we know that Modiji will do some good work in Delhi. With the Congress, I don’t know. Pratap Bhanuji (Congress candidate Pratap Bhanu Sharma, who twice won the seat, in 1980 and 1984) didn’t meet me when I once went to him for a favour, though I am an ex-armyman. He simply tells people to enquire in Bhopal or Delhi instead,” Sanchi senior citizen B.L. Jaiswal says.

“As if the BJP now listens to us,” counters Sanchi milk vendor Sonu Kumar, but hastens to add: “The BJP will win here because there are supporters like us. But someone must question the party. How can they just
put Arvind Kejriwal in jail? Power and water in Delhi are much cheaper than under the BJP here.”

• Vidisha votes on May 7