Congress spokesperson Charan Singh Sapra on Sunday said his party is contesting the upcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly polls with a "clear approach" by reposing faith in the leadership of state unit president Kamal Nath.

He also targeted the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming it has sidelined its Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and does not want to bet on him.

The opposition Congress on Sunday released its first list of its 144 candidates for polls to the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly scheduled on November 17.

It has given tickets to 69 sitting legislators, including state party unit president and former chief minister Kamal Nath.

“We declared the name of our spearhead and supreme commander Kamal Nath in the first list of 144 candidates. We are absolutely clear in our approach," Sapra told reporters.

The BJP picked up its Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who has served at the top post for 18 years, as a candidate in its fourth list, proving his party leadership "does not have faith in his face any more,” the Congress leader claimed.

“The BJP does not want to bet on him (Chouhan). He has been sidelined. He is a flop show. The BJP central leadership was treating him as a spent force,” Sapra further claimed.

The BJP has fielded its seven MPs, including three Union Minister Narendra Tomar, Prahlad Singh Patel and Faggan Singh Kulaste, "sidelining" Chouhan, he said.

“But remember the saying - 'Too many cooks spoil the broth',” Sapra said.

The Congress leader also claimed that confusion was prevailing in the BJP camp after it foresaw an imminent defeat.

“We are going to register a landslide win in Madhya Pradesh,” the Congress leader said.

Asked about the criteria of the Congress' first list of candidates, Sapra said winnability has been its top priority.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.