Ahead of MP Assembly Polls, BJP MLA Holds Referendum, Sets Vote Count Threshold for Candidacy – News18

For the first time in the country, a BJP MLA has conducted a referendum in the Vijayraghavgarh constituency. BJP MLA and former minister, Sanjay Pathak claimed that he will contest the Madhya Pradesh assembly election only if he receives over 50 per cent of the votes. The vote counting is currently in progress.

Pathak surprised many by announcing that he will contest the upcoming assembly election from his Vijayraghavgarh seat only if he receives a referendum from the electorate. The BJP MLA organised a four-day election process called ‘Janadesh’ from August 21 to August 24.

During this period, 1.40 lakh people casted their votes. The result of this referendum will be announced later this evening after the vote count is completed.

Pathak, a four-time MLA from this constituency, has stated that he will enter the race for the fifth time and seek the BJP ticket only if he receives more than 50 per cent of the votes in this self-conducted referendum.

Pathak said termed the referendum “simply an exercise for self-analysis to determine whether he has the electorate’s support or not,” adding that he does not wish to have his name imposed.

MP BJP Chief, V D Sharma, has praised the self-analysis exercise carried out by the party’s MLA, stating that it’s a valuable tradition in a democracy to gauge the popularity of a public leader in their constituency.

Sanjay Pathak was an MLA from the Congress twice before joining the BJP. He subsequently won the Vijayraghavgarh assembly seat twice in a row during the last two state elections.